horrid and treasonable Plot and Conspiracy contrived and carried on by those of the Popish Religion for murthering of his Majesties sacred Person and for subverting the Protestant Religion and the ancient and well-established Government of this Kingdom Of which Coleman by several Evidences and his own Letters was found guilty in conspiring the death of the King and endeavouring to subvert the Protestant Religion and to bring in Popery by the aid of foreign Powers for which he was executed December 3. 1678. Ireland Pickering and Grove were executed for the like Treasons Jan. 24. Green Berry and Hill were condemned Feb. 10. for the Murther of Sir Edmond-bury Godfrey Whitebread Harcourt Fenwick Gauan and Turner were condemned on the 14th of June 1679. And Richard Langhorne was condemned the same day And the Lord Stafford was also executed for the same Plot and Conspiracy It is true that all these Coleman onely excepted whose Letters then produced were so plain that they admitted of no evasion denied their guiltiness to the last breath but it was a practice allowed to men under their circumstances and had been practised by other of their Perswasion in the like case for Garnet Whitebread's Predecessor a Principal of the Jesuits being accused for the Gunpowder-treason as holding correspondence with one Hall then in the Tower utterly denied it with horrid Imprecations which when Hall confessed he beg'd pardon and confessed he had offended if Equivocation did not help him Tresham another of the Conspirators had confessed that Garnet was privy to the Treason but afterward by the importunity of his Wife he protested a little before his death that his former Confession was false and that he had not seen Garnet in sixteen years before Which Protestation of his was afterward proved to be false and Garnet himself confessed that he had seen him many times within that space And in a Book called The Jesuits Catechism penned as is said by some Secular Priests Anno 1602 they say That a Jesuit being condemned to die after he hath made his Confession to a Priest he is not tyed to reveal his guilt to the Judge but it is lawful for him to stand in a stiff denial of it at the time of Execution as being clear before God although he persist in a Lye after he hath discharged his Conscience to his Confessor p. 166 167. The Author of Remarks on the Debates of the House at Oxford tells us That those Debates were as great a Witness for the King as any he had For R. M. says he said That the King 's telling them in his Speech that he would stick to his Resolutions as to the Succession and his proposing an Expedient is arbitrary and French and that it was the Kings designe to cow the Parliament to bring them to Oxford And that neither Bishops nor Counsellors nor Ministers of State nor those of the Gospel have endeavoured to preserve Religion or Safety T. B. says plainly They must let bloud Sir N. C. says As I understand it is proposed the Government shall be in Regency during the Duke's life I would be satisfied if the D. will not submit to that whether those that fight against him are not Traytors in Law H. B. says The same interest that passeth the Bill here will do it in Scotland Another insists That all about the King should be removed and that though Ministers have been altered yet the Government hath been in such hands as that the same Principles remain Sir W. C. says That the weight of England is the people and the more they know the heavier they will be and that in all Ages they have sunk ill Ministers of State And doubtless good ones too R. H. looks on the slipping the Bill for Repealing the Act of 35 of Eliz. to be a breach of the Constitution of the Government which if it had been moved in Queen Elizabeth 's days that motion would certainly have been so thought B. W. says of the King's Speech That it was none of his that it had nothing of his in it that it is flat and short That his Majesty was a better man and a better Protestant than to make it himself and that they who advised it must answer for it And yet to shew on whom he meant to throw this Dirt he says afterward The King hath gone on in a resolution as far as this in his Speech in his Declaration formerly Sir W. J. observes That no man knowing in Laws or History but can tell us that to Bills grateful and popular the King gives his consent L. G. is dissatisfied with these hands in which the Government is and fears the Kings being Absolute And therefore Sir F. W. says The same Authority that can make a descent of the Crown can modifie it All their Votes and Speeches must be Printed to shew they are not ashamed of what they do Col. M. hopes that his Posterity will do as he among the rest hath that Meeting and the former done This Bill of Exclusion to alter the Succession and modifie the Crown and the Repeal of the Act 35 Eliz. is the means used to secure the King's Person and the Protestant Religion Though the King and the established Church are of a quite contrary judgment And the Act 13 Car. 2. 1660 which says That by the undoubted fundamental Laws of this Kingdom neither the Peers of this Kingdom nor the Commons nor both together in Parliament nor any other person whatsoever ever had hath or ought to have any Coercive power over the persons of the Kings of this Realm And by the person of the King is meant all such persons to whom the Crown legally descends The mischiefs of altering the Succession hath cost too dear already to attempt another Experiment The Dispute between the Houses of York and Lancaster cost the Nation the lives of Eight Kings and Princes Forty Dukes Marquesses and Earls Two hundred thousand of the People besides Barons and Gentlemen and so much Money and Spoil as cannot be valued So that it is sufficiently evident that these irregular and violent Proceedings were a Prologue to some intended Tragedy There were hot Irons on the Forge we heard the blows throughout the Nation and sparks of fire flew about our ears But God be thanked none of those Weapons which were forged against the King or the Church have prospered Hitherto the Lord hath helped us The Fanatick Party carried on their designes more openly than the Papists insomuch that they thought to bear down all before them by the numbers and strength of their Party The Pulpits and Presses do not onely sound Alarms but cry Victoria Their Peaceable designe had divided the Bishopricks between Presbyterian Independent and Anabaptist They promise the true Protestant Peacemakers more favour than they had from their Conforming Brethren because they joyned in a Complaint of Persecution Mr. Baxter in his Book of Obedience and Patience p. 265. tells us That Persecutors are not immortal but
to maintain it against all the Arguments of Papists and Fanaticks whereby it will also appear how impotent and malicious their Accusations have been in that they have declaimed most vehemently against those as Papists that have most learnedly and successfully defended the established Church against Popery and Fanaticism which have been equally pernicious to it Insomuch that if any loyal Clergie-man or other hath in a time of need written for Loyalty or Conformity they have been marked out for Papists which is a plain Argument that the Popery and Tyranny which they decry is Christian Loyalty and Conformity And to manifest to all sober men how little of good nature as well as of Christian Piety and Charity these men have I have given many undeniable instances of their acting on the same Principles and in the like Practices as the most dangerous Papists sometimes in actual confederacy with them for the ruine of the Government For however they seem opposite to each other they are agreed to do the Government a mischief and Duo quum faciunt idem non sunt Duo They that agree in Treason are all Traytors Facinus quos inquinat aequat And of this take the following instance On October 3. 1643. there was a Letter sent from Dublin to a Member of the House of Commons which shews by what example they acted as followeth There was a Fryar taken the last Expedition into Conaught about whom was found a Collection of all your Votes Ordinances and Declarations carefully marked with short marginal Notes out of which he composed a large Manuscript intituled An Apology of the Catholicks of Ireland or a Justification of their defensive Arms for the preservation of their Religion the maintenance of his Majesties Rights and Prerogatives the natural and just defence of their Lives and Estates and the Liberty of their Country by the practice of the State of England and the Judgment and Authority of both Houses of Parliament It was penned with so little variation of Language that the name of Ireland being changed for England and the chief Actors there for those under the Parliament your own Clerk would scarce know it from one of your own Declarations All that they do is for the good of the King and Kingdom he is intrusted with all for the good of the People if he dischargeth not his trust but is advised by evil Counsellors and persons they cannot confide in 't is their duty to see this Trust discharged according to the condition and true intent thereof That they saw their Religion and Liberty in danger of extirpation and therefore had reason to put themselves in a posture of Defence but are ready to lay down their Arms as soon as the great Offices of the Kingdom are put into such hands as they can confide in c. Mutato nomine de te Anglia narratur There is lately printed an excellent Treatise vindicating the Church of England from the imputation of Popery in Doctrine Worship and Discipline to which I refer my Reader as to those points That which I designe is to vindicate our Governours in Church and State principally those who have been most accused from the like Aspersions and to retort the calumny of their Accusers by shewing their Harmony and Intrigues with the Papists both in Principles and Practices that the mouth of such Slanderers may be stopped The following Collections may serve to convince all well-affected persons that both the Papists and Fanaticks how contrary soever to each other are well agreed to attempt the Ruine of our Church as it is now established the Papists under the pretence that we are Hereticks and the Fanaticks that we are Papists but the true reason is that the Papists may regain those Profits and Dignities which for a long time they usurped in this Nation which was the most fruitful Garden that ever the Pope claimed as belonging to his Palace and the Fanaticks that they may retrieve their former sacrilegious Purchases of Crown and Church-lands and divide them among themselves Of the first we have this evidence That the Pope fills up the places of our Bishops Deans and other Dignitaries to encourage his Emissaries of which we have this Specimen in print BISHOPS CANTERBURY Cardinal Howard YORK Perrot Superior of Secular Priests LONDON Corker President of Benedictine Monks WINCHESTER White alias Whitebread DURHAM Strange late Provincial of Jesuits SALISBURY Dr. Godden NORWICH Nappier a Franciscan ELI Vincent Provincial of Dominican Monks EXETER Wolfe one of the Sorbone PETERBOROUGH Gifford a Dominican Fryar LINCOLN Sir Jo. Warner Baronet a Jesuit CHICHESTER Morgan a Jesuit BATH and WELLS Dr. Armstrong a Franciscan CARLISLE Wilmot alias Quarterman CHESTER Thimbleby a Secular Priest HEREFORD Sir Tho. Preston a Jesuit BRISTOL Mundson a Dominican OXFORD Williams Rector of Watton in Flanders St. DAVIDS Belson a Secular Priest St. ASAPH Jones a Secular Priest BANGOR Joseph David Kemash a Dominican ABBOTS WESTMINSTER Dr. Seldon a Benedictine Monk SION-HOUSE Skinner a Benedictine Monk DEANS CANTERBURY Belton a Sorbonist St. PAULS Libourne a Secular Secretary to Cardinal Howard WINDSOR Howard with twelve Benedictine Canons CHICHESTER Morgan a Secular WINTON Dr. Watkinson President of the English Colledge at Lisbone Many other Dignities are by the Popes Bull disposed of to Foreigners but these being of our Kings Dominions have been many of them diligent Promoters of our Wars that they might kill and take possession Judge now what temptation our present Bishops have to bring in Popery when the coming in of that will turn them out of their Dignities and Livelihoods if not out of the World too as in the Marian days And that the Fanaticks aim at the same end is demonstrable not onely from the unlimited power which some of their Ministers exercised over their Brethren far beyond any of the Bishops but their dividing the most profitable Benefices among themselves sequestring those loyal Clergie-men that were legally possessed of them As also from a late Proposal of Baxter Humfrys and Lob in the name of other Nonconformists who would still retain the name of Bishops so they might have the power and profit for they would have some chosen out of the several Parties of Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists onely they desire that the Bishops should be declared Ecclesiastical Officers under the King acting Circa Sacra onely by vertue of his Commission and Authority upon which account if any of the eminent among the Nonconformists were chosen Bishops they could not refuse it as they say And indeed at the time of making this Proposal these wise men like the wise Ladies of Sisera's Mother had divided the Spoil to every man a prey of two or three Dignities besides the Garments of divers colours Judg. 5.30 Now I desire all rational men to consider that as it is a great folly and meer fascination in some to serve the lusts of those that are the Slaves of him that stiles himself the Servum Servorum Domini so it
forced from him before but it was with such restrictions that they liked it not but took it on their own terms And indeed the King told them by one of his Secretaries You insist on something in Religion more than formerly you were contented with I am therefore commanded to let you know that were His Majesties condition much lower you shall never force him to any further Concessions to the prejudice of his Conscience and of the Protestant Religion in which he is resolved to live and for which he is ready to dye and that he will joyn with any Protestant Prince nay with his Rebels at home rather than yield the least to you in this particular And this was the joynt opinion of the Papists in England and Ireland that the King would give them all up as a Sacrifice to compass a Peace with his Parliament though they had been Loyal to him in his extremity The Marquess of Ormond and those that acted for the King under his Lieutenancy in Ireland was so prosperous in his endeavours to reduce that Kingdom to the obedience of the Crown that a Peace was made with the most considerable of the Confederate Irish But they being otherwise tampered with by the Parliament-party contrary to their Faith and promise the Popes Nuntio and some Irish Clergy prevailed with the Vlster-Irish under Owen Roe Oneale to refuse to come under the Kings Authority Of which the Author of the History of Independency p. 150. of the Second part tells us in the Margent that the Council of Officers endeavour to joyn interests with the Papists in England and Ireland And then says The King had offended the Papists in the last Treaty in granting so much to the Parliament for their suppression The Independents perceiving it and willing to joyn with any interest to make good their design it was proposed at the Council of Officers that the Papists should raise and pay Ten thousand additional Forces for the Army in recompence whereof all penal Laws concerning them should be repealed all Taxes and Contributions taken off and they to have the protection of the Parliament and Army Vnder the same notion they endeavoured to joyn interests with Owen Roe Oneale who commanded that bloody party of Massacring Irish with which they had formerly taxed the King They supplyed him with Ammunition and admitted O Rely the Popes Irish Nuntio to a Treaty here in England Sir John Winter was taken into imployment and the arrears of his Rent gathered for him by Souldiers to the regret of the Country Sir Kenelme Digby had a Pass to come into England and came as he was foretold by a Letter by an Independent Agent for the Army from Paris to an Independent Member of the House of Commons a creature of the Army dated 28 November 1648 and printed at the later end of The true and full relation of the Officers and Armies forcible seizing of divers eminent Members Walter Mountague was let forth on bail What becomes of this Negotiation whether those that played fast and loose with all interests in the Kingdom have not done the like with the Papists this Author shews in the following relation for p. 198. he says the under-hand combination between the Independent party and Owen Roe Oncale is now openly declared and avowed by their own licensed News books Owen Roe and Colonel M. are joyned says the modest Narrative Our party have permitted Three hundred of Onealâ— own Regiment to quarter in our parts among the Creats within two miles of Dundalk saith the Scout Owen Roe and Berne are come towardâ— Colonel Jones and Colonel M. 's quartersâ— he is so fair as to pay Contribution his quarters are to the Scots side of Dublin to prevent their giving aid to Ormond in his attempt up on Dublin Who can blame necessity Nor dâ— our Grandees now deny this Confederacy with the bloody Popish Massacring Rebels although they had the impudence to make the only supposition thereof one of the principal charges against the late King and to raise a great outcry against the Marquess of Ormond and Lord Inchiquine for their cessation with Preston which was to prevent the Cromwellists who offered to associate with him on conditions much more prejudicial to the Protestant Religion and English interest than the Marquess gave them they offered Oneale all the Lands in Ulster forfeited by his Grandfather Tyrone Shan Oneale and others attainted thereby destroying the British Planters there c. P. 2â—â— He refers to a paper called The Association between Oneale c. And another called The true state of the Transactions with Owen Roe Oneale as it was reported to the Parliament by the Council of State printed by Edw. Husbands 15 Aug. 1649. This was so abhorred by the English Souldiery that many there took occasion to forsake the English Parliament and many here disbanded rather than they would accompany Cromwel in so wicked an Expedition and I doubt not but the imposing on some of the Independent Officers such a vile drudgery did so much dissatisfie them as to make them after they had extricated themselves from their toyls to bethink themselves how they might serve a better Master I shall therefore beg pardon for transcribing the progress of this affair referring the Reader to the former Quotations Cromwel writes Letters to his Creatures of the Council of State complaining how much the miscarriage of that agreement had retarded his voyage desiring them for satisfaction of the Souldiery and people to treat with some body to take the whole business on himself and to clear the Council of State the Parliament and Cromwel himself from having any hand in it And to carry on the Scene this Agreement was with much heat of zeal complained of in the House of Commons by a Brother who had his Cue before-hand and by the Juncto was referred to the Council of State as was forelaid where after some private conference with him whom they had intrusted to accommodate the business they publickly voted their dislike of it Bradshaw reprehending him for it and at last they ordered that the whole business with the reasons for his justification should be reported by Tho Scot to the House of Commons which was done on Friday Aug. 10. whereupon their Commissioner was called to the Bar where the Speaker asked him What persons he meant in his Letter to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland wherein he saith he made the agreement with Oneale with the advice of some others He answered That he did it on his own score for so he was instructed and cautioned before and his life had been in danger if he had done otherwise without advice of any only having discourse with Colonel Jones he told him if he could keep Owen Roe and Ormond from joyning iâ— would be a good Service This Answer was taken for satisfactory The next demand was Whether he had any advice or directions from the Parliament Council of State Lord Lieutenant of
of their Religion And doubting of their own strength they consult of ingaging the King of France against their own King to which end they agreed on the following Letter directed Au Roy which Title is not wont to be given to any but their Liege Lord from his Subjects of which his Majesty in his lesser Declaration 1640. took special notice and complained that they courted a Forreign power against him SIR YOur Majesty being the Sanctuary of afflicted Princes and States we have found it necessary to send this Gentleman Mr. Colvil to represent to your Majesty the candor and ingenuity as well of our actions and intentions which we desire to be written with the beam of the Sun as well as to your Majesty We therefore humbly beseech you Sir to give faith and credit to him to what he shall say on our part touching us and our affairs being assured of an assistance equal to your wonted Clemency heretofare and so often shewn to our Nation which will not yield the glory to any other whatsoever to be eternally SIR Your Majesties most humble most obedient and most affectionate Servants Rothes Montross Lesly Marr Montgomery Loudon Forester This Letter was discovered and brought to the King and was proved to be the hand-writing of Loudon who being in London was committed to the Tower and on examination confessed it to be his hand but excused the matter because it was written before the Pacification However they had really engaged Cardinal Richlien who governed the affairs of France He sent one Chamberline his Chaplain a Scot by birth to assist the Covenanters and to attempt all ways for exasperating the first heats with order not to depart till he might return with good news He appointed one of his Secretaries also to reside in Scotland and to march with them into England to be present at the Council of War and direct their business Hamilton's Chaplain also had free access unto Con the Popes Nuncio and a Scotch-man then in England on the same designe And if Mr. Rushworth the Parliaments Historian may be credited there were also at that time some Applications made to the King of Spain who was then the most potent Monarch For p. 970 971. he says That in the year 1639 when the Spanish Armado came on the Coasts of England Scotland being then in a great ferment by the Covenanters some of them thus argued That there could be no Fleet strong enough to attempt them by Sea except all the Kingdom did contribute to it which say they cannot be done except all the States joyn of which we of the Confederacy shall be the greater part and so the Enemy shall be forthwith forced to give liberty of Conscience to the Catholicks or put themselves in danger of losing all From whence it is collected 1. That the Scots thought no Enemies so great as the King and his Party 2. That liberty of Conscience was desired for the Papists as well as themselves 3. That the Covenanters thought themselves the greater part of the States And 4. That there was a secret Confederacy between them and the Papists and this Armado was designed for their assistance And as for the King of Great Britain the Relator says If he will not give liberty of Conscience he shall be reduced to it with no little damage As for Argyle whose Father was a known Papist I suppose he was as much of that as of any Religion though he were the Head of the Covenanters his interest was his Religion as this Action of his doth demonstrate His Father left a second Wife by whose last Will there was given to the Daughters 12000 l. sterling and Argyle prevailed to be admitted Administrator he giving security to perform the Will but shortly after he caused the eldest whose Portion was 5000 l. to marry a Gentleman who accepted onely 1000 l. with her which was paid by Argyle's Surety and not repayed to this day saith my Author As to the other Daughters there was a clause in the Will That if any of them should enter into Nunneries for it seems they were inclinable to the Popish Religion they should have onely 300 l. And being defrauded of their due Maintenance two of them did enter into Nunneries and the third through his neglect was ready to do the like But the Covenanter cared for none of these things See the History of Independency Appendix p. 7. Nor was Hamilton whom the King intrusted as his Commissioner in that Kingdom free from a shrewd suspicion of corresponding with the Papists his Chaplain making frequent Applications to Con the Popes Nuntio by whom he was commended as a man fit for his purpose as shall appear in the discovery made by Sir Will. Boswell of which hereafter The King during the interval of Parliaments which was for thirteen years resolved on a Journy to Scotland to be there crowned He had requested that the Crown might be sent into England to save that Journy but the Covenanters and Papists sent word they durst not do it Marquess Huntly who obtained a Toleration of Popery there told the Council there When his Majesty shall come and be crowned here he will no doubt be sworn to our Laws mean while seeing he hath intrusted us with them we will look they shall be observed And both Papist and Covenanter agreed to tell the King that should he long defer that duty they might perhaps be inclined to make choice of another King The King therefore goes into Scotland and is crowned with great solemnity But being there he makes a revocation of such Lands as had been taken from the Crown in his Fathers minority And by the foresaid Commission of Surrendries upon a Petition of many of the Gentry Ministry and Commons he frees the Ministers and People from the Vassalage of some great men that had ingrossed the Tythes of the Nation allowing the Ministers onely an inconsiderable Pension keeping the generality of the People in dependance on them and so oppressing them that no one durst carry home his nine parts until the Lay-Impropriator had housed his Tenth For this the King received great Honour and Thanks from the greatest part of the Nation but the Lords that were concerned caused it to be reported abroad that this was done to the prejudice of their Religion and to make greater provision for the power and splendour of Bishops and from this time they confederate against the King and provide for a Rebellion Et hinc illoe Lachrymoe But to look back a little into England In the last Parliament called by King James Feb. 19. there was as the King called it a stinging Petition presented against the Papists on which the King spake thus It hath been talked of my remisness in Religion and a suspicion of a Toleration but as God shall judge me I never thought or in word expressed any thing that savoured of it It is true that for reasons best known to my self I did at times forbear
a Popish Army to render it odious yet they had in their Army two Companies of Walloons and other Roman Catholicks And they omitted no endeavours to ingage Sir Arthur Ashton an eminent Roman Catholick to their party In Mr. Prynnes Relation of the Tryal of the Archbishop one Mr. Chaloner was produced who deposed that he being at Bruxels and discoursing with an English Traveller heard him to affirm that Popery would be brought into England and the Introducers should be the Protestants themselves whereat when he wondred the Gentleman told him that the War should be so disguised under false notions and pretences as that the Protestants should ignorantly become the Jesuits servants and by the effusion of their own blood set up Popery p. 415. And because Mr. Prynne mentioned some persons sent into Ireland to stir up the Rebellion there I shall mention also that which the King says of it in his Chapter of that Rebellion I believe saith he it will at last appear that they who first began to embroil my other Kingdoms are in great part guilty if not of the first letting out yet of the not timely stopping those horrid effusions of blood in Ireland And it was observed that when the Design against the Earl of Strafford as also against the King was managing there was a great correspondence between the Leaders of both parties in Ireland of which the Author of the History of Independencie gives so large an account that I shall only select some passages and refer the Reader to see the whole Transaction at his leasure in the History of Independency p. 150 198 p. 230. c. 245. But I shall first insert that which the Royal Martyr hath said in his own vindication concerning the Irish Rebellion That Sea of Blood which hath there been cruelly and barbarously shed is enough to drown any man in eternal both infamy and misery whom God shall find the malicious Author or instigator of its effusion Some men take it very ill not to be believed when they affirmed that what the Irish Rebels did was done with my privity at least if not by my Commission But these knew too well that it is no news for some of my Subjects to fight not only without my Commission but against my Command and Person too yeâ— all the while to pretend they fight by my authority and for my safety I would to God thâ— Irish had nothing to alleadge for their imitation against those whose blame must needs be thâ— greater by how much Protestant principles arâ— more against all Rebellion than those of Papists Nor will the goodness of mens intentions excusâ— the scaudal and contagion of their exampleâ— It is thought by many wise men that the preposterous rigour and unreasonable severity which some men carried before them in England wâ—â— not the least incentive that kindled and blew â—â— into those horrid flames which wanted not predisposed fuel for Rebellion in Ireland wheâ— despair being added to their former discontentâ— and their fears of utter extirpation to theâ—â— wonted oppressions it was easie to provoke to 〈◊〉 open Rebellion a people prone enough to breaâ— out to all exorbitant violence both by some principles of their Religion and the naturâ— desires of liberty I would to God no man hâ—â— been less affected with Irelands sad estate thâ—â— my self I offered to go in person on that expedition but some men were afraid I should haâ—â— any one Kingdom quieted or loath they were to shoot at any mark here less than my self 〈◊〉 that any should have the glory of my destructâ—â— on but themselves Had my many offers been accepted I am confident neither the ruine had been so great nor the calamity so long nor the remedy so desperate So that next to the sin of those that began that Rebellion theirs must needs be who either hindred the speedy suppression of it by domestick Dissentions or diverted the Aids Sir William Parsons said at a publick meeting That within 12 months no Catholick should be seen in Ireland or exasperated the Rebels to the most desperate resolutions and actions by threatning extremities not only to the known Heads and chief Incendiaries but to the whole Community of that Nation When at the earnest intreaty of the chief of the Protestant party there I effected a Cessation in the best sort that the necessary difficulty of affairs would permit I was then to suffer again in my reputation and honour because I suffered not the Rebels utterly to devour the remaining handfuls of the Protestants there I believe it will at last appear that they who first began to embroil my other Kingdoms are in great part guilty if not of the first letting out yet of the not timely stopping those horrid effusions of blood in Ireland Thus far the Royal Martyr And whether the examples of England and Scotland imbroyling those two Kingdoms and proceeding successfully in the Wars against the King did not animate the Irish to those horrid proceedings as in the Irish Letter mentioned in the Introduction is sub Judice The following transactions under the Parliament and Cromwel are a more clear evidence of an actual conjunction with the Irish Rebels against the King Sir John Temple was of the Privy Council in Ireland at the Insurrection and after a person that thought himself disobliged by the King a Parliament-man here in England and one that too much adhered to the Faction He is confident that the chief aim of the Irish was to shake off the English yoke and settle the power in the Natives One Cooke deposed that Tirlogh Brady said That the Irish would within a fortnight have a King of their own p. 83. 66. p. 50 51. The same was deposed by others As was also That they took the Scots for a president they would have the Kingdom in their own hands Laws of their own a Deputy of their own without molestation from another Nation p. 19. That they cared not for King Charles having a King of their own In the Remonstrance p. 54. they called Tyrone their King and his Commission the Kings Commission They affirmed the Scots to be of their side p. 37. That they had the Earl of Argyles hand and most of the Nobility of Scotland Macguire a chief contriver of the Rebellion falling into the Parliaments power was much importun'd by promises and threats to discover whether the King were privy to the Rebellion but he did still acquit the King and all other English from being guilty as much as of knowing it And it is very remarkable that he did this not only while he was under a sentence of Condemnation but when he had been turned off the Cart and recovered again after a most barbarous manner yet still he acquitted the King to his death and denied that ever he saw any Commission from him And whereas the King was accused of granting them a Toleration it is true that he was necessitated to offer that which they had
to change Government it was lawful for the Catholicks to work that change for the advancing and securing the Catholick Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his Heresie This was answered affirmatively after which the same persons went to Rome where the same Question being propounded and debated it was concluded by the Pope That it was both lawful and expedient for the Catholicks to promote that alteration of State c. When that horrid Parricide had taken effect the Pope commanded all the Papers about that Question to be gathered and burnt In obedience to which Order a Roman Catholick in Paris was demanded a Copy which he had of these Papers but the Gentleman who had time to consider and detest the wickedness of that Project refused to give it and shewed it to a Protestant friend of his relating to him the whole carriage of this Negotiation with great abhorrency of the Practices of the Jesuits And when these Jesuits returned from Rome they brought many more after them to help on the same Work which at last they effected to their great joy The Roman Priest and Confessor is known who when he saw the fatal stroak given to our holy King and Martyr flourished with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy that we had in the world is gone A Protestant Lady living in Paris was perswaded by a Jesuit to turn Catholick when the dismal news of the King's Murther came to Paris this Lady as all other good Subjects was deeply afflicted with it and when this Jesuite came to see her and found her melted in Tears for that Disaster he told her with a smiling countenance That she had no reason to lament but rejoyce rather seeing the Catholicks were rid of their greatest Enemy and that Cause was much furthered by his death Upon which the Lady in great anger put him down the stairs saying If that be your Religion I have done with you for ever and God hath given her grace to make her words good hitherto Many intelligent Travellers can tell of the great joy among the English Convents and Seminaries about the Kings death as having overcome their Enemy and done their main work for their settlement in England of which they made themselves so sure that the Benedictines were in great care that the Jesuits should not get their Land and the English Nuns were contending who should be Abbasses in England An understanding Gentleman visiting the Fryars in Dunkirk put them on the discourse of the King's death and to pump out their sence about it said That the Jesuits had laboured very much to compass that work To which they answered That the Jesuits would ingross to themselves the glory of all great and good works and of this among others whereas they had laboured as diligently and effectually for it as they So that both the Jesuits and Seculars had laboured to bring the King to death and the Army of Fanaticks were their Instruments to put it in execution Monsieur de Bourdeaux the French Embassadour being resident in London when General Monk had gotten the power of the City and the affections of the People earnestly desired to interest the King of France and Cardinal Mazarine in the Revolution of Government and made way for an Address to the General by his Brother-in-law Clergis to whom he imparted that Cardinal Mazarine would be glad to have the honour of his friendship and assist him faithfully in all his Enterprizes and that the General might be more confident of the Cardinal he assured him that Oliver Cromwel kept so strict a League with him that he did not assume the Government without his privity and was directed step by step by him in the progress of that action and therefore if he resolved on that course he should not onely have the Cardinals friendship and counsel in the attempt but a safe Retreat and honourable Support in France if he sailed in it But Mr. Clergis assured him that the General did not intend to take the Government upon him but to submit all to the determination of the next Parliament The King being in the Territories of the King of Spain when the General was minded to declare for him Sir Jo. Greenvil was dispatched by the General to his Majesty to desire him to depart out of the King of Spain's Dominions to Breda or some other place under the Government of the States of the Vnited Provinces for that he had certain intelligence he would be detained by the King of Spain's Ministers if he stayed in his Dominions Upon which Advice within two or three days he went to Breda where he continued till he was invited to his Kingdoms There was found in the Study of Francis Young after his death a Paper containing Advices given to him by Seignior Bellarini concerning the best way of managing the Popish interest in England upon the Kings Restauration The first Advice is to make the obstruction of Settlement their great designe especially upon the fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom whereunto if things should fall they would be more firm than ever Secondly To remove the Jealousies raised by Prynne Baxter c. of their designe upon the late Factions and to set up the prosperous way of fears and jealousies of the King and Bishops Thirdly To make it appear under-hand how neer the Doctrine Worship and Discipline of the Church of England comes to us at how little distance their Common-prayer is from our Mass and that the wisest and ablest men of that Way are so moderate that they would willingly come over to us or at least meet us half way hereby the most stayed men will become more odious and others will run out of all Religion for fear of Popery Fourthly That there be an Indulgence promoted by the Factious and seconded by You. Fifthly That the Trade and Treasure of the Nation may be engrossed between themselves and other discontented Parties Sixthly That the Bishops and Ministers of the Church of England be aspersed as either worldly and careless on one hand or so factious that it were well they were removed All these Directions will appear to have been followed precisely by both Parties The Grandees of the Committee at Derby-house and the Army sollicite the detaining of the Prince in France and delaying his Journy for England lest he should trouble the yet-unsetled Kingdom of the Saints To negotiate which they have an Agent lying Lieger with Cardinal Mazarine who is so well supplied with Money and so open-handed that it hath been heard from Mazarine's own mouth that all the Money the Queen and Prince had cost the Crown of France came out of the Parliaments Purse with a good advantage It is likewise said Mazarine had an Agent here to drive on the interest of France in England Hist of Independ 2 part p. 112. And it is known that Cromwel's interest with France when the present King fled thither after
must die as well as others and they have not alway the choice of their Successors He had intimated what one such man as Felton could do and that some great men might be dealt with as Cardinal Beton was The King must be delivered from evil Counsellors and the House purged of Pensioners Petitions are procured from the City and thanks given the Petitioners for their care c. Appeals are made to them and the people who are encouraged to joyn Tumults with their Petitions Mr. Hunt p. 30. of his Preface says So strong is the tye of duty on him i. e. the King from his Office to prevent publick calamities as no respect whatsoever no not of the right Line can discharge nor will he himself ever think if duly addressed that it can And p. 34. At this time if ever the applications of an active prudence are required from all honest men If any loyal persons make their Addresses and publish their dislike of such Seditious Petitioners they are branded as Abhorrers as if the Votes for No more Addresses to the King in 1648. were still in force The lawfulness of Resistance is publickly printed and even to this day defended by several Writers Page 22. of Mr. Hunt The Nation says he begins to be impatient by the delays of publick Justice against the Popish Plot That the dissolution of Parliaments gives us cause to fear that the King hath no more business for Parliaments p. 27. That the number of the Addressers may be reduced to the Dukes Pensioners That the Addresses were obtained by application and the designe was to make Voites for discontinuance of Parliaments and for a Popish Successor And p. 12. That such as plead for the established Government are a hired sort of Scaramouchy Zanies Merry Andrews and Jack Puddings That the Succession to the Crown is the Peoples Right And to this end Doleman or Parsons the Jesuit's Tract of Succession is reprinted and recommended to the People And p. 172. the King is told if he will follow the counsel of that excellent Bill he may live long and see good days as if he were in danger if it pass'd not and so he expresseth p. 171. If this Bill do not pass they will take him for a wicked King too viz. as they took his Father and will say he hath no lawful Issue to succeed him for his own sins and many other remarks of wickedness will they make on him And as to the Duke he adds p. 193. Let him attempt the Crown notwithstanding an Act of Parliament for his Exclusion he is all that while but attempting to make us miserable If he be not excluded he doth it certainly and we will not entail a War upon the Nation though for the sake and interest of the glorious Family of the Stuarts And to effect this he tells the People That the Original and Rise of Government is in the People and that as they gave so they may take it away as they see occasion That Government is the perfect creature of men in society made by pact and consent and not otherwise most certainly not otherwise and therefore most certainly ordainable by the whole Community for the safety and preservation of the whole The active men of the Fanatick Party had with great industry and cost got in many Members to serve in Parliament of whom they had a very great confidence that they would promote their designes Those men that had been actually in Arms against the Royal Martyr are now esteemed the Patriots of their Country and such as acted loyally are branded fined and imprisoned The Earl of Sh. who had caused the Exchequer to be shut up broken the Triple League and advised a Delenda Carthago being now discontented by reason of a Pique between his Royal Highness and himself is made the Head of the Faction and either he or the Duke must fall and no consideration is had whether the King and Kingdom fall with the Duke or not Certain it is that by the intended Association whereof I shall here give you a Copy it was intended to reduce the Government to a Commonwealth WE the Knights c. finding to the great grief of our hearts the Popish Priests and Jesuits with the Papists and their Adherents and Abettors have for several years last past pursued a most pernicious and hellish Plot to root out the true Protestant Religion as a pestilent Heresie to take away the Life of our gracious King to subvert our Laws and Liberties and to set up Arbitrary Power and Popery And it being notorious that they have been highly encouraged by the countenance and protection given and procured for them by J. D. of Y. and by their expectations of his succeeding to the Crown and that through crafty Popish Counsels his Designes have so far prevailed that he hath created many and great Dependents upon him by his bestowing Offices and Preferments both in Church and State It appearing also to us That by his influence mercenary Forces have been levied and kept on foot for his secret Designes contrary to our Laws the Officers thereof having been named and appointed by him to the apparent hazard of his Majesties Person our Religion and Government if the danger had not been timely foreseen by several Parliaments and part of those Forces with great difficulty caused by them to be disbanded at the Kingdoms great Expence And it being evident that notwithstanding all the continual endeavours of the Parliament to deliver his Majesty from the counsels and out of the power of the said D. yet his Interest in the Ministers of State and others have been so prevalent that Parliaments have been unreasonably prorogued and dissolved when they have been in hot pursuit of the Popish Conspiracies and ill Ministers of State their Assistants And that the said D. in order to reduce all into his own power hath procured the Garisons the Arms and Ammunition and all the power of the Seas and Souldiery and Lands belonging to these three Kingdoms to be put into the hands of his Party and their Adherents even in opposition to the Advice and Order of the last Parliament And as we considering with heavy hearts how greatly the Strength Reputation and Treasure of the Kingdom both at Sea and Land is wasted and consumed and lost by the intricate expensive management of these wicked destructive Designes and finding the same Councils after exemplary Justice upon some of the Conspirators to be still pursued with the utmost devillish Malice and desire of Revenge whereby his Majesty is in continual hazard of being murdered to make way for the said D.'s advancement to the Crown and the whole Kingdom in such case is destitute of all security of their Religion Laws Estates and Liberty sad experience in the case Queen Mary having proved the wisest Laws to be of little force to keep out Popery and Tyranny under a Popish Prince We have therefore endeavoured in a Parliamentary way by a
Bill for the purpose to Bar and Exclude the said Duke from the Succession to the Crown and to banish him for ever out of these Kingdoms of England and Ireland But the first means of the King and Kingdoms Safety being utterly rejected and we left almost in despair of obtaining any real and effectual security and knowing our selves to be intrusted to advise and act for the preservation of his Majesty and the Kingdom and being perswaded in our Consciences that the dangers aforesaid are so imminent and pressing that there ought to be no delay of the best means that are in our power to fecure the Kingdom against them We have thought fit to propose to all true Protestants an Vnion amongst themselves by solemn and sacred promise of mutual Defence and Assistance in the preservation of the true Protestant Religion his Majesties Person and Royal State and our Laws Liberties and Properties and we hold it our bounden Duty to joyn our selves for the same intent in a Declaration of our united Affections and Resolutions in the form insuing I A. B. Do in the presence of God solemnly promise vow and protest to maintain and defend to the utmost of my power with my Person and Estate the true Protestant Religion against Popery and all Popish Superstition Idolatry or Innovation and all those who do or shall endeavour to spread or advance it within this Kingdom I will also as far as in me lies maintain and defend his Majesties Royal Person and Estate as also the Power and Priviledge of Parliaments the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subject against all Incroachments and Usurpation of Arbitrary Power whatsoever and endeavour entirely to disband all such Mercenary Forces as we have reason to believe were raised to advance it and are still kept up in and about the City of London to the great amazement and terrour of all the good People of the Land Moreover J. D. of Y. having publickly professed and owned the Popish Religion and notoriously given life and birth to the damnable and hellish Plots of the Papists against his Majesties Person the Protestant Religion and the Government of this Kingdom I will never consent that the said J. D. of Y. or any other who is or hath been a Papist or any ways adhered to the Papists in their wicked Designs be admitted to the Succession of the Crown of England but by all lawful means and by force of Arms if need so require according to my abilities will oppose him and endeavour to subdue expel and destroy him if he come into England or the Dominions thereof and seek by force to set up his pretended Title and all such as shall adhere unto him or raise any War Tumult or Scdition for him or by his command as publick Enemies of our Laws Religion and Country To this end we and every one of us whose hands are here under-written do most willingly bind our selves and every one of us unto the other joyntly and severally in the Bond of one firm and loyal Society or Association and do promise and vow before God That with our joynt and particular Forces we will oppose and pursue unto destruction all such as upon any Title whatsoever shall oppose the Just and Righteous Ends of this Association and maintain protect and defend all such as shall enter into it in the just performance of the true intent and meaning of it And lest this just and pious Work should be any ways obstructed or hindered for want of Discipline and Conduct or any evil-minded persons under pretence of raising Forces for the service of this Association should attempt or commit Disorders we will follow such Orders as we shall from time to time receive from this present Parliament whilst it shall be sitting or the major part of the Members of both Houses subscribing this Association when it shall be prorogued or dissolved and obey such Officers as shall by them be set over us in the several Counties Cities and Burroughs until the next meeting of this or another Parliament and will then shew the same Obedience and Submission unto it and those who shall be of it Neither will we for any respect of Persons or Causes or for fear or reward separate our selves from this Association or fail in the prosecution thereof during our lives upon pain of being by the rest of us prosecuted and suppressed as perjur'd persons and publick enemies to God the King and our Native Country To which Pains and Punishments we do voluntarily submit our selves and every one of us without benefit of any colour or pretence to excuse us In witness of all which Premises to be inviolably kept we do to this present Writing put our Hands and Seals and shall be most ready to accept and admit any others hereafter into this Society and Association This is evidently a Plot to retrieve the Good Old Cause and to second this the Bill against the Succession of which I have also given you a Copy is violently prosecuted A Copy of the BILL against the Duke of York FOrasmuch as these Kingdoms of England and Ireland by the wonderful providence of Almighty God many years since have been delivered from the slavery and superstition of Popery which had despoiled the King of his soveraign power for that it did and doth advance the Pope of Rome to a power over Soveraign Princes and makes him Monarch of the Vniverse and doth withdraw the Subjects from their Allegiance by pretended Absolutions from all former Oaths and Obligations to their lawful Soveraign and by many Superstitions and Immoralities hath quite subverted the ends of the Christian Religion but notwithstanding that Popery hath been long since condemned by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm for the detestable Doctrine and treasonable attempts of its Adherents against the Lives of their lawful Soveraigns Kings and Queens of these Realms yet the Emissaries Priests and Agents for the Pope of Rome resorting into this Kingdom in great numbers contrary to the Laws thereof have for several years late past as well by their own devillish arts and policies as by counsel and assistance of foreign Princes and Prelates known enemies to these Nations contrived and carried on a most horrid and execrable Conspiracy to destroy and murder the Person of his most sacred Majesty and to subvert the ancient Government of these Realms and to extirpate the Protestant Religion and massacre the true Professors thereof And for the better effecting their wicked designes and encouraging their villanous Accomplices they have traiterously seduced the Duke of York presumptive Heir of these Crowns to the Communion of the Church of Rome and have inveigled him to enter into several Negotiations with the Pope his Cardinals and Nuntio's for promoting the Romish Church and Interest and by his means and procurement have advanced the power and greatness of the French King to the manifest hazard of these Kingdoms that by the descent of these Crowns upon a
Papist and by foreign Alliances and Assistance they may be able to succeed in their wicked and villanous designes And forasmuch as the Parliaments of England according to the Laws and Statutes thereof have heretofore for great and weighty reasons of State and for the publick good and common interest of this Kingdom directed and limited the Succession of the Crown in other manner than of course it would otherwise have gone but never had such important and urgent Reasons as at this time press and require their using their extraordinary power in that behalf Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same and it is hereby enacted accordingly That James Duke of York Albany and Ulster having departed openly from the Church of England and having publickly professed and owned the Popish Religion which hath notoriously given birth and life to the most damnable and hellish Plot by the most gracious providence of God lately brought to light shall be excluded and disabled and is hereby excluded and disabled for ever from possessing having holding inheriting or enjoying the Imperial Crowns and Governments of this Realm and these Kingdoms and of all Territories Countries and Dominions now or which shall hereafter be under his Majesties subjection and off and from all Titles Rights Prerogatives and Revenues with the said Crowns now or hereafter to be enjoyed And that upon the demise or death of his Majesty without Heirs of his body whom God long preserve the Crowns and Governments of this Kingdom and all Territories Countries and Dominions now or which shall hereafter be under his Majesties subjection with all the Rights Prerogatives and Revenues therewith of right enjoyed and to be enjoyed shall devolve and come upon such person who shall be next lawful Heir of the same and who shall have always been truly and professedly of the Protestant Religion now established by Law within this Kingdom as if the said Duke of York were actually dead And that whatever acts of soveraign power the said Duke of York shall at any time exert or exercise shall be taken deemed and adjudged and are hereby declared and enacted High-Treason and to be punished accordingly And forasmuch as the peace safety and well being of these Kingdoms do so intirely depend upon the due execution of and obedience to this Law Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any person shall in any-wise at any time during the King's life which God long preserve or after his demise or decease aid assist counsel or hold correspondence with the said Duke of York who is and ought to be esteemed a perpetual Enemy to these Kingdoms and Governments either within these Kingdoms or out of them or shall endeavour or contrive his return into either of them or into any of the Territories or Dominions of the same or shall during the King's life publish or declare him to be the lawful or rightful Successor apparent presumptive or other Heir to the Crown of England or shall after the demise or decease of the King that now is proclaim publish or declare the said Duke of York to be King or to have right or title to the Crown or Government of England or Ireland or shall by word writing or printing maintain or assert that he hath any manner of right or title to the Crown or Government of these Kingdoms and shall be therefore convict upon the evidence of two or more lawful and credible Witnesses shall be adjudged guilty of High-Treason and shall suffer and forfeit as in cases of High-Treason And forasmuch as the Duke's return and coming into any of the foresaid Kingdoms Countries Territories or Dominions will naturally conduce to bring vast mischiefs and all the evils hereby provided against upon them in War and Slaughter and unspeakable Calamity which therefore the said Duke must be presumed to designe by such his return or coming into any the foresaid Kingdoms c. Be it therefore likewise enacted and it is hereby enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if the said Duke do at any time hereafter return or come into any of the foresaid Kingdoms c. he shall be and hereby is thereupon attainted of High-Treason And all manner of persons whatsoever are authorised and required to apprehend secure and imprison his person and in case of resistance made by him or any of his Complices to subdue c. imprison him or them by force of Arms. Now let any considering man judge whereto these violent proceedings tended when the King 's necessary Guards be thought a grievance and the executing the penal Laws on Dissenters be made a grievance of the Subjects an encouragement to Popery and dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom when the King may not raise moneys on his own Revenues and his People will give him none nay they shall be accounted Enemies to the Peace of the Nation that assist him when his Customs shall be taken from him and the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy dispensed with the Bill for excluding the lawful Successor resolutely insisted on and a War threatned by some if it did not pass when the D. of M. must be restored to his Offices and all that should oppose the Bill of Exclusion shall be dealt with as Betrayers of the King the Protestant Religion and the Kingdom of England and Pensioners of France and it must be taken as a favour that the D. of Y. was onely to be excluded and another would perswade him to destroy himself and another threatneth in print that rather than not exclude him they would exclude the whole glorious Family of the Stuarts when seditious Petitions were counted part of the Liberty of the People and no Addresses to the King by the Loyal Party to be tolerated and publicâ— thanks given to a seditious Party of the City for their manifest Loyalty to the King their care charge and vigilancy for the preservation of his Majesties person and the Protestant Religion and the King's Prerogative to call or dismiss his Great Council questioned and they who infused fears and groundless jealousies of the Kings ruling by an Arbitrary power did in an arbitrary manner fine and imprison divers loyal Subjects And when it was published That if the King should die a violent death they would avenge it on the Papists when the chief Ministers of State the Bishops the Lord Mayor and Magistrates and all that were eminent for their Loyalty were already condemned as being Popishly affected and the Clergie branded as Projectors for the Church of Rome Hereupon a Discovery being made by one of the Conspirators the Kings Majesty issueth his Declaration 27 of July 1683. to inform his Subjects of a Plot contrived by persons of several Perswasions to make a general Insurrection in this Kingdom and Scotland And that while this Designe
was forming some Villains were carrying on that horrid and execrable Plot of Assassinating his Majesties person and his dearest Brother And a Massacre was to follow wherein they principally designed for slaughter the Officers of State the present Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London and others that had been most eminent for Loyalty Upon which Discovery James Duke of Monmouth the Lord Melvin Sir Jo. Cockrane Sir Thomas Armstrong Robert Ferguson Richard Goodenough Francis Goodenough Richard Rumbold William Rumbold Richard Nelthorp Nathaniel Wade William Tompson James Burton Joseph Elby Samuel Gibbs Francis Charleton Joseph Tyley Casteers and Lobb two Nonconformist-preachers Edward Norton John Row John Ayloff and John Atherton fled from Justice Ford Lord Grey made his escape Arthur Earl of Essex killed himself in the Tower William Lord Russel Thomas Walcot William Hone and John Rous were on their Tryals convicted and executed And it is observable that each of them confessed enough to clear the Justice of the Nation The most that they could plead for themselves was that their Crime could amount onely to misprision of Treason Algernoon Sidney another of the Conspirators was tryed condemned and executed afterward who professed to die for the Old Cause wherein he had been engaged from his youth And indeed he was so far engaged that being named for one of the Royal Martyr's Judges he often appeared at his Tryal And Manus haec inimica Tyrannis was his Motto The Earl of Shaftsbury had been indicted of High-Treason 24 Novemb. 1681. for endeavouring to depose and put to death the King and levy war within the Kingdom he having declared That in a short time the Parliament was to sit at Oxford and that he had inspected the Elections and was satisfied that the Parliament would insist on three matters viz. The Bill of Exclusion against the Duke of York The abolishing the Act of Parliament of the 35 of Queen Elizabeth and a new Bill for uniting Protestant Dissenters which he was confident the King would not consent to and if so that he and other Lords had provided strength to compel him under the command of Captain Wilkinson and John Booth he declared the King to be a man of no faith and there was no trust in him That he deserved to be deposed as well as King Richard the second And the said Earl further declared That 〈◊〉 would not desist till he brought this Kingdom 〈◊〉 a Commonwealth as Holland was That the King was a man of an unfaithful heart not fâ—â— to rule and govern being false unjust and crueâ— to his people and if he would not be governed they would depose him Though the Witnesseâ— swore positively to the particulars yet there was such a Jury provided as brought in an Ignoramus Sir Sam. Bernardiston being their Foreman who hath since been found guilty of Misdemeanors of a high nature During the late seditious Stirs and Tumults none was more active than one Stephen Colledge a Joyner of London a pragmatical person that pleased himself with the title of The Protestant Joyner he had been busie for a long time sowing Sedition and talking Treason so openly that his Friends advised him to forbear lest he came to the Gallows He made it his business to serve some dissenting Lords boasting of his acquaintance with the Earl of Shaftsbury Lords Gray Howard Clare Huntington Pagit Lovelace c. He had fitted his Raree Show and scandalous Songs and Pictures reflecting on the Royal Family The sole pretence for his treasonable actions was his zeal against Papists who he said had feigned seventeen or eighteen Sham-plots against the Protestants he affirmed that London was to be seized by the Papists and that they had a designe against the Parliament at Oxford and therefore he with some others whom he had perswaded came well armed thither Divers Ribbons were provided as a mark of distinction bearing this Motto NO POPERY NO SLAVERY one of which he gave to Turbervil and it was proved as the Lord Chief Justice said at the close of the Tryal whom he called Papists The King was a Papist the Bishops and the Church of England were Papists He was indicted for High-Treason the 17 and 18 of August 1681 it being proved that he said That nothing of good was to be expected from the King That he minded nothing but beastliness and the destruction of the people That he endeavoured to establish Arbitrary Government and Popery Dugdale Smith and Turbervil who had been Witnesses against the Lord Stafford were of the Evidence against him though there were enough if these had been laid aside to have proved him guilty Mr. Masters testified against him p. 31. That he said The Parliament in 1640. was as good a Parliament as ever was chosen To which Mr. Masters answered I wonder how you have the impudence to justifie their proceedings that raised the Rebellion against the King and cut off his head To which Colledge replied They did nothing but what they had just cause for and the Parliament at Westminster was of their Opinion p. 31. And being demanded what he had to say against this testimony he answers That Mr. Masters had said nothing material and that it was but a jocose discourse p. 39. To which Mr. Justice Jones replied Do you make mirth of the blackest Tragedy that ever was that horrid Rebellion and the murther of the late King Colledge answered I never justified that Parliament in any thing that they did contrary to Law One Mr. Jennings who was another Witness testified that on the bleeding of Colledge's Nose he said It was the first bloud that he lost in the Cause but it will not be long ere more be lost He saw him sell the Ribbons with NO POPERY NO SLAVERY to a Parliament-man as he supposed who tyed it on his Sword c. p. 32. It is observed in the Tryal that there was not one Papist that gave evidence against him and that they were such of whom Colledge had formerly given a good Character though now the case was altered The Jury were so well satisfied with the Evidence that they quickly agreed and brought him in guilty and so he was condemned and executed at Oxford on Wednesday 31 of August 1681. Captain Tho. Walcot was indicted for High-Treason at the Old-Baily July 12 c. 1683. for endeavouring to move and stir up War and Rebellion against the King to deprive the King of his Crown and to put him to death for which he conspired with divers other Traytors and had several meetings and consults to those ends and provided Blunderbusses Carbines and Pistols c. Which being proved by Col. Rumsey Mr. Keeling Mr. Bourne Mr. West and Captain Richardson he was found guilty sentenced and executed Then was William Hone arraigned on the like Indictment the Evidence against him were Mr. Keeling Mr. West Sir Nicholas Butler and Capt. Richardson upon whose testimonies he was found guilty and executed also July 13. the Lord Russel was tryed for
had not been as careful and diligent and as ready and forward to discover them a great while since I gave his Majesty says he an account to the best of my knowledge and he seemed to be well pleased and thankt me for it but before I had power to put it in writing the Council thought it fit that I should be committed to Prison That there was a designe to set up the Duke of Monmouth I will not say while the King reigns though some extravagant hot-headed men have taken upon them to discourse these things but not any worthy man I know those that have been worthy to be called by that name have declared in my hearing that in opposition to the Duke of York if the King be seized they would stand by the Duke of Monmouth There are others that were for a Commonwealth and some few for the Duke of Bucks He confesseth that Goodenough told him the King was to be taken off as he came from Windsor that they wanted a place of meeting in order to it and the place pitched on was Black-heath where Rous advised that a Ball of Silver worth thirty or forty pound might be thrown up and the people invited to come and drink a Bowl of Punch which would have gathered thirty or forty thousand in two or three days time That this Goodenough spake in base Language concerning the Duke of York calling him Rogue and Dog and that we will do his work and that after the Kings decease the Duke of Monmouth having a Vogue with the People must of necessity succeed And he confessed that it was just in God and righteous and just in the King that he died On the 6th of February 1683. in Hillary-Term John Hambden Esq was tryed at the Kings-Bench-Bar upon an Indictment of High Misdemeanour for assembling meeting consulting c. with divers ill-disposed Subjects of the King to disquiet molest and disturb and as much as in him lay to incite stir up and procure Sedition within this Kingdom of England and further to cause an Insurrection and to provide Arms and armed men for that purpose And also for that he did consult agree and consent that a person should be sent into Scotland to invite and incite divers ill-disposed people to come into England to consult and advise with him and others here concerning aâ—â— and assistance from thence to bring about their designes He pleaded Not guilty but upon a full and fair hearing he was found Guilty and Fined forty thousand pounds Which Sentence was given the 12th of February being the last day of the said Term. The Witnesses were James Duke of Monmouth but he did not appear William Lord Howard whose evidence is supported by Sir Andrew Foster Mr. Atterbury one Sheriff thaâ— lodg'd Aaron Smith at Newcastle and Beâ— that directed him the way into Scotland The Lord Chief Justice tells the Jury Thâ—â— if there were another Witness as positive against the Defendant as my Lord Howard the matter would amount to no less than High-Treason The next day being the 7th of February 1683. Lawrence Braddon and High Speke Gent. were tryed upon an Information of High Misdemeanour Subornation and spreading False Reports at the Court oâ— Kings-Bench for that whereas the Earl of Essex on the 10th of July in the thirty fifth year of the King was committed to the Tower for High-Treasons supposed to be committed on the 13th did there kill and murther himself as appear by an Inquest taken in the Tower the 14th day of July in the year aforesaid They not being ignorant thereof but contriving and maliciously and seditiously intending to bring the Kings Government into hatred disgrace and contempt did conspire and endeavour to make the Kings Subjects to believe that the said Inquisition was unduly taken and that the said Earl was murdered by some person in whose custody he was And to bring this to effect they procured false Witnesses to prove it And to perswade others to the belief of it they caused to be declared in writing that the said Braddon would prosecute the matter This is the sum of the Indictment To which they pleaded Not guilty How the Intrigue was managed in brief The 13th of February in the morning the King and Duke going to visit the Tower in the interim of their being there that dreadful accident of the Earl of Essex cutting his own throat happen'd The rumour of the one and the other caused a great concourse of people Among the rest there was one Edwards his son a School-boy of about thirteen years old that having played Truant in the Tower that morning upon this occasion thought it best to tell some strange story when he came home to Dinner to palliate his Truantry and accordingly goes home and tells his Mother and Sisters that he saw a hand throw a Razor out of the window of the Earl of Essex his Chamber They were surprised at this and charged the Boy to tell truth and not to tell lyes to excuse his play as he used to do He persisted in it Mr. Braddon being told of this Boy goes to his fathers house pretending he came from Sir Henry Capel and the Countess to examine the Boy which when he had done he writes a Paper and reads it to the Boy for him to signe The Boy refuses to signe it because he said the whole matter was a lye So Braddon went away but coming another time he got the Boy to signe it telling him it was no harm He also found out a Girl of about the same age that said she saw a hand throw out a bloudy Razor but from whose window she knows not and she said many others saw it but she could name none Braddon goes with this to Sir Henry Capel desiring his assistance in the prosecution of the Earl's murder but Sir Henry directs him to a Secretary of State it being of publick concern He goes to a Secretary has his little Witnesses examined before the King in Council and the business found false and frivolous Mr. Braddon would not rest here being in Conscience bound to prosecute the Murder as he alleadg'd but resolves for the Country and goes to one Mr. Speke desiring his Letter commendatory to Sir Robert Atkins in Gloucester-shire which was granted by that Gentleman who also sent his man along with him to defend him from Assaults To colour this it was pretended that Braddon had word sent him that my Lords death was discoursed the same day it was done at Marlborough and at the Posthouse in Frome nay at Andover two or three days before it happened Mr. Speke's Letter to Sir Robert Atkins concerning Braddon which he had about him when taken commends his great integrity and courage thanking the person 't was writ to for great kindness to him and his friends hoping to get my Lords Murder tryed before the Tryal of any in the Tower saying the Tyde run strong against them and he must not be called Braddon but
't is believed will be sent to the Tower for that the Duke of Monmouth will accuse him concerning the Testimony he hath given and the Papists and High Tories are quite down in the mouth their Pride is abated themselves and their Plot confounded but their Malice is not asswaged 'T is generally said the Earl of Essex was murdered The brave Lord Russel is afresh lamented The Plot is lost here except you in the Country can find it out amongst the Addressers and Abhorrers This sudden turn is an Amazement to all men and must produce some strange Events which a little time will shew And then he goes on further and says in another Letter these words I am to answer yours of the 27th and 29th past and truly I cannot but with great sorrow lament the loss of our good Friend honest Mr. John Wright but with patience we must submit to the Almighty who can as well raise up Instruments to do his work as change hearts of which we have so great an instance in the business of the Duke of Monmouth that no Age or History can parallel I am now throughly satisfied that what was printed in the Mondays Gazette is utterly false and you will see it publickly declared so shortly The King is never pleased but when he is with him hath commanded all the Privy-Council to wait upon him and happy is he that hath most of his favour His Pardon was sealed and delivered to him last Wednesday 'T is said he will be restored to be Master of the Horse and be called into the Council-Table and to all his other places and 't is reported he will be made Captain-General of all the Forces and Lord High Admiral c. He treats all his old Friends that dayly visit him with great Civilities they are all satisfied with his integrity and if God spares his life doubt not but he will be an Instrument of much good to the King and Kingdom He said publickly That he knew my Lord Russel was as loyal a Subject as any in England and that his Majesty believed the same now I intend shortly to wait on him my self It would make you laugh to see how strangely our High-Tories and Clergie are mortified their Countenances speak it Were my Shesorary to be moved for now it would be readily granted Sir George is grown very humble 'T is said Mr. Sidney is reprieved for forty days which bodes well And then he goes on further and in a third Letter says The late change here in publick affairs is so great and strange that we are like men in a dream can hardly believe what we see and fear we are not fit for so great a mercy as the present juncture seems to promise The Sham Protestant Plot is quite lost and confounded The Earl of Mackensfield is bringing Actions of Scandalis Magnatum against all the Grand Jury-men that indicted him at last Assizes And then in a fourth Letter are contained these Expressions Contrary to all mens expectations a Warrant is signed at last for beheading Col. Sidney at Tower-hill next Friday Great endeavours have been used to obtain his Pardon but the contrary Party have carried it which much dasheth our hopes but God still governs He pleaded Not guilty but the Jury found him Guilty without stirring from the Bar. April 14. he was brought to the Kings Bench-Bar to receive Judgment of the Court which was That he should pay a Fine of Ten thousand pounds to the King should find Sureties for his good behaviour during his life and should be committed to the Kings Bench Prison till the same was paid and done By that which hath been said it clearly appears how near a Correspondence there hath been between the Jesuit and Fanatick both in Principles and Practices and that the Government and Church established hath been the onely Bulwork against Popery that hath withstood all its assaults though assisted by the united force of the Fanaticks Yet all this notwithstanding we still suffer under the imputation of Popery our Worship is still calumniated as Popish and for any to return to our Communion is to make a step towards Rome the Ministers of our Church are accused as disguised Emissaries of the Romish Church and the Arguments used for Conformity are but endeavours to pervert men to the Papal Superstition our Common-prayer is but the Mass in English kneeling at the Sacrament worshiping of the Host our Bishops Antichristian and our Clergy Factors for Rome And by these slanders the Fanaticks have employed the aversion of the people against the corruptions of Rome to a direct opposition against the Church of England which above any of the reformed Churches hath most strenuously and successfully opposed it And it will easily appear that the leading Fanaticks have misled their Disciples with more invincible prejudice and implicit faith than any of the Popish Priests do their Proselytes who can perswade them that that Church which hath so peremptorily disclaimed the Popes Supremacy Infallibility Wilworship Prayers in an unknown Tongue adding to the number of Sacraments and detracting essential parts from those which they retain That the Church of England which in their Articles Homilies and Liturgie have exceeded all the reformed Churches in their detestation of Popish Doctrines that have still built on the foundations of Reformation laid by Cranmer Ridly Latimer which hath still been chiefly maligned and from its infancy assaulted by the Romanists as its greatest Adversary should now be reproached by those who in this serve the Romish interest more than their own as well-willers to the Church of Rome And in truth there needs no other Argument to prove how ignorant this sort of men are of the great corruptions of Rome that forsake our Church on a perswasion that we have embraced those corruptions for either they expect that we should renounce all things that they retain and then once more we must lay aside the Creed the Commandments the Lords Prayer c. or that we should retain and practise nothing that was practised in the Primitive Church long before Popery was known in the World And it is very apparent that we have not more displeased the Fanaticks by retaining those decent Ceremonies and ancient Orders of the Primitive Church than we have incensed the Papists by retaining of them for by these Apostolical Orders and Rules of Decency we have such a beauty added to Holiness as was in use in the most pure and primitive times free from the Innovations and Superstitions of Rome and this hath raised the envy of that Church as well as the causeless malice of Dissenters against us what these rail against as Popish viz. our Government Worship Discipline and Ceremonies the other behold with grief and envy to see a Church much nearer to the primitive constitution than their own I doubt not but the Reader will joyn with me in this Opinion that it is a necessary duty incumbent on all sorts of Fanaticks that have
accused our Church and Government of Popery for retaining those innocent and indifferent things agreeable to the primitive practice to make a publick declaration of their abhorrence of Romish principles and practices such as I have already charged them withal To which I may adde their claiming of a Supremacy above Princes and Parliaments in matters Ecclesiastical and divers other things which are the most pernicious and Antichristian Doctrines and Practices of that Church which have drawn the greatest reproach and odium on the Reformation And if they would heartily perform this duty I doubt not but they would see a necessity of returning to the Communion of the Church as it is now established and to assist her in her conflicts against the Church of Rome than which there is no means more probable to keep out that Popery against which they pretend so great an aversion And to induce them hereunto I shall recommend to their serious consideration how far the Principles and Practices of the Jesuits under the name of Doleman and of the old Regicides under that of Bradshaw and our new Conspirators under the Notions of Sidney do agree as it is fitted to my hand in this Parallel THE PARALLEL 1. DOLEMAN THere can be no doubt but that the Commonwealth hath power to chuse their own fashion of Government as also to change the same upon reasonable Causes In like manner is it evident that as the Commonwealth hath this Authority to chuse and change her Government so hath she also to limit the same with what Laws and Conditions she pleaseth Conference about Succession part 1. cap. 1. pag 12 13. All Law both Natural National and Positive doth teach us That Princes are subject to Law and Order and that the Common-wealth which gave them their Authority for the common good of all may also restrain or take the same away again if they abuse it to the common evil The whole Body though it be governed by the Prince as by the Head yet is it not Inferiour but Superiour to the Prince Neither so giveth the Commonwealth her Authority and Power up to any Prince that she depriveth her self utterly of the same when need shall require to use it for her defence for which she gave it Part 1. cap. 4. pag. 72. And finally the Power and Authority which the Prince hath from the Common-wealth is in very truth not Absolute but Potestas vicaria delegata i. e. a Power Delegate or Power by Commission from the Commonwealth which is given with such Restrictions Cautels and Conditions yea with such plain Exceptions Promises and Oaths of both Parties I mean between the King and Commonwealth at the day of his Admission oâ— Coronation as if the same be not kept but wilfully broken on either Part then is the other not bound to observe his Promise neither though never so solemnly made or sworâ—â— Part 1. cap. 4. p. 73. By this then you see the ground whereon dependeth the righteous and lawful Deposition and Chastisement of wicked Princes viz. Their failing in their Oath and Promises which they made at their first entrance Then is the Commonwealth not onely free from all Oaths made by her of Obedience or Allegiance to such unworthy Princes but is bound moreover for saving the whole Body to resist chasten or remove such evil Heads if she be able for that otherwise all would come to Destruction Ruine and publick Desolation Part 1. cap. 4. p. 77 78. 2. BRADSHAW THe People of England as they are those that at the first as other Countries have done did chuse to themselves this Form of Government even for Justice sake that Justice might be administred that Peace might be preserved so Sir they gave Laws to their Governours according to which they should govern and if those Laws should have prov'd inconvenient or prejudicial to the Publick they had a Power in them and reserved to themselves to alter as they shall see cause Kings Tryal p. 64. CHARLES STUART King of England The Commons of England assembled in Parliament according to the fundamental Power that rests in themselves have resolved to bring you to Tryal and Judgment p. 29. If so be the King will go contrary to the end of his Government Sir he must understand that he is but an Officer of Trust and he ought to discharge that Trust and they are to take order for the Animadversion and Punishment of such an Offending Governour p. 65. Sir Parliaments were ordained for that purpose to redress the Grievances of the People And then Sir the Scripture says They that know their Masters will and do it not what follows The Law is your Master the Acts of Parliament p. 66 67. This we know to be Law Rex habet superiorem Deum Legem etiam Curiam and so says the same Author and truly Sir he makes bold to go a little further Debent ei ponere fraenum They ought to bridle him p. 65. That the said Charles Stuart being admitted King of England and therein trusted with a limited Power Vid. Char. p. 30. The House of Commons the Supream Authority and Jurisdiction of the Kingdom p. 48. Which Authority requires you in the name of the People of England of which you are elected King to answer them p. 36. Sir you may not demur the Jurisdiction of the Court they sit here by the Authority of the Commons of England and all your Predecessors and you are responsible to them p. 44. For there is a Contract and Bargain between the King and his People and your Oath is taken and certainly Sir the Bond is reciprocal Sir if this Bond be once broken farewel Soveraignty p. 72. Sir though you have it by Inheritance in the way that is spoken of yet it must not be denied that your Office was an Office of Trust Now Sir if it be an Office of Inheritance as you speak of your Title by Descent let all men know that great Offices are seizable and forfeitable as if you had it but for a year and for your Life p. 73. And Sir the People of England cannot be so far wanting to themselves which God having dealt so miraculously and gloriously for they having Power in their hands and their Great Enemy they must proceed to do Justice to themselves and to You. p. 75. 3. SIDNEY And other of The True Protestant Party GOd hath left Nations unto the liberty of setting up such Governments as best pleased themselves The Right and Power of Magistrates in every Country was that which the Laws of that Country made it to be Sidn Pap. p. 2. St. Peter 1 Pet. 2.13 14. stiles Kings as well as the Governours under him the Ordinance of Man which cannot have any other sence but that Men make them and give them their Power Hunt's Postsc p. 37. By all which it is evident That the Succession to the Crown is the Peoples Right And though the Succession to the Crown is Hereditary because
the People so appointed it would have it so or consented to have it so yet in a particular Case for the saving the Nation The whole Line and Monarchy it self may be altered by the unlimited Power of the Legislative Authority Hunt's Postsc p. 43. Some men will talk as if they believed themselves That the Legislative Power is in the King when no King of England yet ever pretended to it A Legislative Authority is necessary to every Government and therefore we ought not to want it and therefore Parliaments in which our Government hath placed the making of Laws cannot be long discontinued Hunt's Postsc p. 28. BRACTON saith that the King hath three Superiours to wit Deum Legem Parliamentum that is the Power originally in the People of England is delegated unto the Parliament Sid. Tryal p. 23. All Government is founded in Trust and setled in such a Person or limited to such a Family for the safety and advantage of the People as well as of the Ruler It is remarkable that there was never a conveyance of the Crown of England to any person but upon the tacit Concurrence and with the virtual or implicite Consent of the People And therefore anciently before any King of England was actually crown'd the People being first acquaintainted with the day appointed for that Solemnity were three several times publickly asked whether they would have such a Person to rule over them Letter from a Gentleman in the City concerning the D. of Y. p. 13 14. Those Laws were to be observ'd and the Oaths taken by them having the force of a Contract between Magistrate and People could not be violated without danger of dissolving the whole Fabrick Sidn Pap. p. 2. If he doth not like his condition he may renounce the Crown but if he receive it upon that Condition as all Magistrates do the Power they receive and swear to perform it he must expect that the performance will be exacted or revenge taken by those he hath betrayed Sidn Tryal p. 23. I will hope there are very few in this Nation so ill instructed that do not think it in the power of the People to depose a Prince who really undertakes to alienate his Kingdom or that really acts the destruction or the universal Calamity of his People Great consid relating to the D. of Y. consider'd p. 6. And he fixeth the Government in the major part To give every one his due is to administer Defence to the Innocent and by Authority of Law to subdue the Aggressors of mankind how great and mighty soever they be Fiat justitia therefore Id. p. 16. The Author of the Plea to the Dukes Answer says that when Kings are ill ones God not onely approves of their removal but he himself doth it The Political Catechism placeth the Government in the two Houses of Parliament and the Letter to a Person of Honour says There may be a self-deposition of a Prince actually regnant Thus far the Parallel If there be a Note above Ela the Sweet Singers of Scotland have reached it in crying Down with the established Government down with it to the ground Cargil a Field-preacher in the name of the true Presbyterian Kirk of Scotland pronounced the King excommunicate forbidding the people not onely to obey him but to pray for him These men set up a Mock-Convention of States like Bradshaw's High Court wherein without the formality of a Tryal they take a forfeiture of his Majesties Crown and pronounce him deposed and all the Officers of the Crown Privy-Counsellors Judges Magistrates and Officers of the Army who adhered to the King and opposed their Field-Conventicles especially the Conforming Clergie as perjured and apostate persons were marked out for destruction Kid and King two Field-preachers who were executed August 14. 1679. for preaching Sedition and Rebellion to some thousands of armed men who had set up a Banner and called it The Banner of Jesus Christ in an open War against the King and pronouncing the King guilty of Perjury and that he had no right to govern having driven Christ out of his Kingdom These men in their dying Speeches bore witness to their National and the solemn League and Covenant which they believed could not be dispensed with by any person or Party on earth against all Oaths and Bonds contrary to it especially that of Supremacy and the Bond for Peace and against all that connive at comply with or strengthen the hands of the Prelatical malignant and persecuting Party Kid counted it an honour that he was counted worthy to be staged upon such a consideration and encourageth the people to persist saying God would perfect his strength in their weakness and threatned the Nation with the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon The Scottish book called Naphtali says Whatever indignity is done to the Solemn League and Covenant is no less than doing despite to the Covenant of Grace in his most eminent exerting himself and is a sin of the nature as that of those men who ascribed our Saviours casting out Devils by Beelzebub but far greater They condemn all Acts of State against it particularly this which follows which some would chuse to die rather than consent to I do sincerely affirm and declare that I judge it unlawful to Subjects upon pretence of Reformation or other pretence whatsoever to enter into Leagues or Covenants or to take up Arms against the King or those commissionate by him and that all those Gatherings Convocations Petitions Protestations and erecting and keeping of Council-Tables that were used in the beginning and for carrying on of the late Troubles were unlawful and seditious and particularly that those Oaths whereof the one was commonly called The National Covenant as it was sworn and explained in the year 1638 and thereafter and the other entituled The Solemn League and Covenant were and are in themselves unlawful Oaths and were taken by and imposed upon the Subjects of this Kingdom against the fundamental Laws and Liberties of the same and that there lieth no obligation upon me or any of the Subjects from the said Oaths or either of them to endeavour any change or alteration of the Government either in Church or State as it is now established by the Laws of the Church and Kingdom But instead of allowing this Declaration they declare their assent to all the Rebellions and Bloud that had been shed in defence of their Field-meetings and Covenant against the Kings Armies as of Wariston Guthrie c. shortly after the Kings Restoration the Rebellion at Pentland-hills and Bothwel-bridge the Murthers of Melvil Mitchel and the Ruffians that assassinated the Archbishop and that Field-Fast at Jedburgh in Tiveot-dale where were seven Field-preachers and five thousand people the men being in Arms to seek God for three things viz. To put an end to their Persecution To give them Grace to repent who took the Bond for Peace and That he would bless those Lords that were gone to London This
was such another Fast as those that were kept in the days of their Q Mary of which she was wont to say That she was as much afraid of a Fast of the Ministers as of an Army of Souldiers And yet if you will believe themselves or some Advocates of theirs nearer home there are not a more innocent peaceable and harmless people in the world as the Author of Naphtali said of the Rebellion of Pentland hills There hath not been in Britain such a company of men in Arms for the Covenant and Cause of God for sound Judgment true Piety Integrity and fervent Zeal and undaunted Courage But all this Zeal and Courage was still directed against the King and the established Government and Worship of God For in the year 1679. the Convention of Estates gave the King a Tax of 30000 l. to maintain a Regiment of Foot three Companies of Dragoons and three Troops of Horse to suppress the Field-Conventicles which met in Arms against which their Leaders preached saying It was given by the enemies of Christ to drive him out of his Kingdom and it would be as great a fin to pay it as it was in Judas to betray Christ and that now was the time to try them whether they would have Christ for their King or no. And the same Ruffians that murdered the Archbishop did several times lay wait for the Collectors of this Tax and they so perplexed the peoples Consciences that a Servant of the Earl of Dondonald fell distracted through trouble of mind for having assisted his Master in laying the Tax on Renscot This is that little Sister for whom the Noble Peer pleaded that having no Breasts she might like the Amazons have liberty to take up Arms and once more enter our Nation and rent us in pieces as formerly And it were easie to shew from the Writings of some of our own Nation that the same Principles have been preached to the people of this Land who have greedily swallowed and digested the same and think themselves under the same obligation of Covenant as those barbarous people Dr. Lake in a Sermon before the Lord Mayor says That discoursing some Rebels that were then in Goal in Scotland who did openly avow the Rebellion and refused to pray for the King He told them they were variously reported to be Jesuits or Jesuitically affected or to be Fifth-Monarchy-men wild arrant Fanaticks They told him they were neither one nor other but true Presbyterians according to the Covenant He replying That we had Presbyterians in our own Kingdom who yet did not obstinately maintain such King-deposing and murthering Doctrines They told him he did not understand them for they believed the same Doctrines but onely wanted Power and Courage to act them And at their execution they desired the people to take notice That they died true Presbyterians according to the Covenant It is another Artifice of these People agreeable to the practice of the Papists that they keep their People in ignorance and under the power of an implicit Faith and blind Obedience as the Papists do and bring them up in strong prejudices against their Governors Some have been so mad as to baptize their Children into the National Covenant which they are not ashamed to compare with The Covenant of Grace Mr. Alexander Gibson Clerk of his Majesties Privy-Council certified May 13. 1678. that one David Ferguson taken at a Field-Conventicle being asked why he kept not to his Parish-Church answered That he had sworn the Covenant whereby he was obliged not to hear Bishops Deans or Curats and that others being asked why they kept Conventicles answered To hear Gods truth and being demanded what that was they answered They could not tell And upon examination they could not say the Creed the Lords Prayer or ten Commandments Mr. Jo. Dickson preached to them That all the Bishops and their Clergie never did nor ever will convert one Soul They believe without farther enquiry being forbid to read the Books written for Obedience and Conformity that Episcopacy is Antichristian and Presbytery is Christs own institution They hold with the Papists That the actions of their Kirk and Teachers in Field-Conventicles and armed and fighting men is not Rebellion because the Presbytery is not subject to the Secular Power That the Subjects may enter into Solemn Leagues and Covenants without and against the Prince That Kings may be excommunicate and deposed which some of them have practised against his present Majesty That not the King in some cases but the Kirk have power to convocate and dissolve Assemblies and that they may make Laws without the King That Salvation is not to be had but in their Communion They injoyn new Articles of belief as That Episcopacy is an Antichristian Order and so are the Church-Festivals and Ceremonies That the Oath of Supremacy is an unlawful Oath and the People are absolved from it That the Power of the King is originally in the People and that there is a mutual obligation between them and if the King perform not his part the People are free from performing theirs That for the good of the Kirk and Gods Cause they may rebel against their Prince That the Prince nor any Secular Power can silence or deprive a Minister who is subject to none but Christ That Passive Obedience to the unjust commands of a Prince is as great a sin as Active Obedience to the same That a private person may kill a Magistrate by impulse of the Spirit after the Example of Phinees to deliver the Kirk from Oppression That it is lawful to kill Protestant Bishops and their Curates as enemies to true Godliness and such as would bring the Kirk to a slavish dependance on the King James Mitchel who was executed for attempting the murther of the Archbishop said in his dying Speech They are all blessed that shall take the proud Prelates and dash their brains against the stones as afterward some Ruffians did by the Archbishop These are their Principles and all these they have practised when they had opportunities They come little behind the Papists for equivocation and persisting in falsehood where they think their lives or the good of the Kirk concerned Jo. King being charged for bearing Arms against the King in the late Rebellion denied it until one that apprehended him swore that he had both Sword and Pistols To which he answered he did it not in an hostile manner which was a Jesuitical Equivocation He bore testimony against that woful Supremacy so much applauded and universally owned of such of whom better things might be expected as usurping on Christs Royal Authority spoiling him of his Royal Crown Scepter Sword and Royal Robe by taking those Princely Ornaments to invest a man whose breath is in his nostrils And both Kid and King bore their Testimonies against the Oath of Allegiance and Bond of Peace of which to satisfie the Reader I give him a Copy I A. B. for testification of my faithful
obedience to my most gracious Soveraign Charles King of Great Britain c. affirm testifie and declare by this my solemn Oath That I acknowledge my said Soveraign onely Supreme Governour of this Kingdom over all Persons and in all Causes and that no foreign Prince Power State or Person Civil or Ecclesiastick hath any Jurisdiction Power or Superiority over the same and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all foreign Power Jurisdictions and Authorities and shall to my utmost power defend assist and maintain his Majesties Jurisdiction aforesaid against all mortals and shall never decline his Majesties Power and Jurisdiction as I shall answer to God The form of the Bond. I A. B. underscribing do faithfully bind and oblige me that I my Wife Barnes and Servants respectively shall no ways be present at any Conventicles and disorderly Meetings in time coming but shall live orderly in obedience to the Law under the penalties contained in the Acts of Parliament made there-anent As also I bind and oblige me that my whole Tenants and Cotters respectively their Wives Barnes and Servants shall likewise refrain and abstain from the said Conventicles and other illegal Meetings not authorized by Law and that they shall live orderly in obedience to the Law And further that I nor they shall receipt supply or commune with forfeited persons intercommuned Ministers or vagrant Preachers but shall do our utmost endeavour to apprehend their persons And in case my said Tenants Cotters and their foresaids shall contravene I shall take or apprehend any person or persons guilty thereof and present to the Judge Ordinars that they may be fined or imprisoned therefor as is provided in the Acts of Parliament made there-anent otherwise I shall remove them and their Families from my ground And if I shall fail herein I shall be liable to such penalties as the said Delinquents have incurred by the Laws consenting to the registration hereof in the Books of his Majesties Privy-Council or Books of any other Judges competent that Letters and Executorials may be direct hereupon in form as effairs and constitutes my Procurators The Field-preachers damned this Bond as an Arbitrary Tyrannical and Illegal proceeding and Mr. Welsh a Field-preacher having condemned the people for not coming armed to their Meetings with Swords and Pistols to defend the Gospel said That the subscribing this Bond was a renouncing their Baptism and making a Covenant with the Devil more express and worse than that of Witches And Mr. John Dickson at a Conventicle May 26. 1678. said That those who subscribed it had committed a greater sin than the sin of the Holy Ghost and were already in Hell This Mr. Welsh as Ravilliack Redivivus relates it preaching to about seven thousand people told them That the King the Nobles and Prelates were the Murtherers of Christ And sitting down in his Chair he said O People I will be silent speak O People and tell me what good thing the King hath done since his coming home yea hath he not done all the mischief a Tyrant could do And at another time he said That God would assert the Cause of Pentland-hills in spite of the Curates and their Masters the Prelates and in spite of the Prelates and their Master the King and his Master the Devil It was but a little before the Duke of York's going to Scotland that they were forming their Presbyteries after the Model of Ignatius dividing the Nation into several Provinces each of which was to have a Provincial and over all there was appointed a General who as Ignatius had been a Souldier and was thought fit to lead an Army The Provincials were to take an account of the growth or decay of their Party to mark out their Friends and their Enemies and to renew their Contributions and to give account of all to their General who was to reside at Edinburgh or London If this designe had succeeded no two Factions in the world had been more like whatever they are now than the Jesuit and Fanatick Which was the Incubus and which the Succubus that brought forth the two last hellish Plots or whether they were not Twins or as it is in the Riddle Mater me Genuit eadem mox gignitur ex me may puzzle the Reader to resolve It is certain the same plastick Principles formed them both and the Subjects were equally disposed to receive those Forms which have so affrighted the Nations and there is little difference the name excepted between a Clement and a Melvil a Ravilliack and a Mitchel a Bradshaw and a Cargil or the Jesuitical and a Fanatical Regicide both make the King accountable to the People both are for excommunicating deposing and assassinating of Kings both have been such Fire-brands as have kindled consuming fires where-ever they have fixed their cloven feet It is no great wonder that they are sometimes transformed into Angels of light seeing Satan himself may be so transformed neither of them can do their work if they should appear in their proper colours armed with Pistols and Blunderbusses in flames of fire and an horrible stench of Gunpowder and Brimstone they come clothed with Zeal as with a Cloak and in Sheeps clothing with demure looks and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the Simple but inwardly they are ravening Wolves and by their fruits you may know them It is not a pretence of acting for a Good Old Cause or the Catholick Church that can justifie unnatural Rebellions and Bloudshed they who do such things are of their Father the Devil though they own Rome or Geneva for their Mother It is said of Augustus that meeting with a young man in the Country exactly like him in growth and features he asked him merrily whether his Mother was never at Rome No saith the young man but my Father hath been there meaning it was more likely that Augustus and he had one Father than that he should be the Son of Augustus Though our Fanatick Plots were conceived by those that were never at Rome yet the Principles that begot them most certainly came from thence The Fanatick Zeal embracing Popish Principles hath brought forth many of those Plots and Conspiracies which have so often disturbed our Peace and Government And by this time I hope the vizard and pretence of these men will vanish viz. that such of them as have suffered by the hand of Justice have died as Patriots of their Country for their zeal against Popery and in defence of the Liberties of the People against Tyranny and Arbitrary Government This hath been pleaded a thousand times in behalf of a Noble Peer and persons of the same Principles but of the lowest rank have pleaded it for themselves This designe says Colledge is not onely against me but against all the Protestants in England that have had the courage to oppose the Popish Plot and dies praying that his may be the last Protestants bloud that murdering Church of Rome may shed in Christendom And in