to themselves and upon the altering the present state of things Ordain and Act to the laying aside Degrees and Orders heretofore in use They or their successors may when the storm threatned is over the danger of being overcome is past reduce and bring the Government of this Nation the course of Parliaments and other Constitutions into some part of their pristine and former state again Rather the Royalist and Presbyterian seemes to give way to many practices tending to Irreligion c. when as their ill-will and envy are so eager against the opposite Party called Independents that they will rather submit unto and joyn with the Turk or Jew then to be mastered by that Party betwixt whom and one of them there is a kinde of difference no true or real only a notional and imaginary one The King's Parties Envy grows out of being overcome and doth appear from the judgment and censure he hath of them in the punishment had he prevailed he would have condemned them to For of the moderate sort of the Parliament and their Friends he holds them * See the Declarat of the Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford c. printed there 1643 Pag. 24 26 27. unskilful vulgar spirited weak and seduced men for siding with the People as they terme it and their multitudes the eminent and more active sort Traytors Perjured All yea the Neutrals too for not offerring to defend the King c. according to the Oath of Allegiance The Parliament Party having a more moderate and milde judgment of the King 's knowing many of them restless and virulent as yet judging others Mistaken only some of them being led away through Ambition and aspiring thoughts to adhere to the King upon the Proverb of No fishing to the Sea nor service to the Court whereupon the Parliament have accordingly passed by the errors transgressions of the King 's by an easy Mulcting them so that if the judgment at the first had been no worse nor no more erroneously passed against the one then it was against the other Party the War had soon been ended a Peace restored By the King's Party 's large extension of which Oath they may bring many within the compass of Perjury The King being to maintain the Laws c. and bound as a Supream Power to take vengeance on evil doers without which He bears the sword in vain as the Subjects are to their Allegiance the Obligation is reciprocal as the two Houses of Parliament when allowed to be stiled by King Himself a Parliament with an unanimous consent observed in their * See the Message printed with the above-named Declaration dat March 9 1643. message sent unto Him in a few words expressed If the King may dispense with His Oath and that He reckons Himself accomptable to none but God which the Parliament objects as a Maxime Ground for any Tyranny the Enacting Laws is of no value as to the King and how far swearing Allegiance is to the Subject is the question In this only lies the odds upon the event of which Party shall prevaile in this War If the Parliament shall They are notwithstanding subject to the Reproach and Obloquy of slanderous tongues and pens Their Demeanor not free from beeing censured Reviled and Charged with several Crimes as their Accusers please No such salve for them as for the King in case He should have prevailed by what means soever no man should have dared to have questioned His proceedings or the means by which He prevailed in case He had Conquered The wise man asks who shall say that a King is false or wicked and the French Proverb tells us Que la Coronne unifois prinse oste toute sorte de defaults The meaning is when the King shall have regained His former ful and Regall Power the Parliament and theirs then born down His repossessing His Crown shall as well quit all quarels and exceptions and cancel all disputes as it shall clear all manner of faults and Crimes concerning the means how He attained His Conquest The sustance of that Oath even now objected is in these words That the Pope hath no Power either of himself or by any means to depose the King nor Authorize any Forraign Prince to invade or annoy Him to bear Arms against or offer Him violence or hurt That no Declaration Sentence of Excomunication or Deprivation made by the Pope hath Power to absolve any Subject from his Allegiance by reason or colour of any such Sentence or Declaration c. The reason of enjoyning the Oath of Supremacy is expressed in the Preamble of that * See the Statut. 1 mo Eliz. 1. and the Preamble thereof Statute made for taking the same which was therefore done in opposition to Forraign Princes Prelates States and Potentates by reason of great exacted sums which they by their usurping took from the Subjects of this Kingdom so that the Oath of Supremacy concerns the Subject's duty towards the King His Heirs and Successors in their refusing to grant or pay any Tribute of Power to Forraigners but to oppose and resist all such to acknowledg the antient Jurisdictions Superorities and Preheminencies due to the King or His Successors against and in opposition to such usurpings The words and prime sense of the swearer beeing That he will renounce and forsake all Forraign Jurisdictions Superiorities and Authorities thence That he will defend the King His Heirs and Successor's Jurisdiction Authority c. So the Competition for Prehemmency Power c. is betwixt the King His Heirs Successors on the one and Forreigners only on the other part and by reason of such exactions practised by such Forraigners The Royalists to make good this charge of supposed Perjury in breaking the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance which they cannot unless they gain a Power leave no ways untried no stone unmoved what Wit and Invention can bring in to promote their Industry By all the Artificiall and feigned means they can to keep up their Party as by sowing the Tares of Discord and Sedition amongst the Parliament party and their friends hoping at last to reap themselves the fruit and harvest cunningly and insensibly carrying it on under fair pretences to the Peace and Publique good by their Pamphleters kept it may be thought in pay and pension to magnifie and talk high of their Cause and their good successes to vilifie and depress the Parliament's Theirs to publish and divulge their Falshoods in hope to discourage them and their Friends and knowing that the unstable and unresolved as many men unto whom the Justice of this Quarrell having seemed doubtfull have shewn themselves would fall in unto the stronger side By reporting of their own accord without warrant from the King more indulgently and favourably on His behalf then any of his own actions have declared which insinuatings and reportings in favour unto Him have peradventure powerfully wrought on the unstable wavering in their
Parliamentary Body remaining at Edenburgh So that as to the Parliament of England it must be confessed that He meant not what He expressed in allowing that Latitude of Power or that His Party hath since prevailed with Him to renounce that judgment which He declared to have had of Them That the contentions at the first sitting of the House were upon the point about matters of Fact what things were done what attempted to be done how the King and His Ministers of Justice had demeaned themselves since the beginning of His Raign how many Oppressions of severall kindes had been offered by them how they had offended against the Known and Fundamentall Laws in an Arbitrary way of Government The Question then tacitely disputed in all mens hearts betwixt Those who would that He should go on to do what He pleased and Those who contended to have Him govern according to the Laws Whether there were any Power in being to emulate and check a King 's except a Parliaments That this Parliament in contending to maintain the one against the other was interrupted and opposed and as the Scots aver b See the Scots Remonstrance 1640. cited by M. Tho. May in his History of the Parliament of England written 1647. For no other reason called then to give the King relief and ayd against their comming into England on which grounds they sent to the Parliament of England a Justification of their proceedings intreating Them to be wary in vindicating their own Laws and Liberties to frustrate the Designs of those Evill Counsellours who had procured this Parliament for no other end then to arm the King with warlike supplyes against His Scottish Subjects and by that War to enslave if not to ruine both Nations That after many violations and dissolutions of Parliaments in England This was not to redress Grievances but to be so over-reached if They were not carefull and couragious that no possibility should be left for the future redressing any That so dangerous Practices might be well suspected when at the same time a Parliament was denyed to Scotland although promised on the word of a King granted to England when not expected and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired The Rise of all which was from the Anger which the Scots knew the King conceived against them for some particular acts of theirs charged with disloyalty as That they refused and declared amongst other matters against His Messages sent them to receive the Service Book obtruded on them for which as for Vindicating themselves from the like charged Disloyalties they were Accused by the King to have wrote a a Cited and complained of by the King in the same Declaration against His Scottish Subjects for inviting Forreign Powers into this Kingdom Pag. 56 57. See the Letter it self in the same Declaration Signed by seven of the principall of the Nobility of Scotland Letter to the King of France imploring His Protection as weary of their Obedience to their own King For which disloyall Letter as it was termed a chief b The Lord Louden See in his Answer his prudent excuse Peer of theirs was imprisoned and condemned to die That the Pacification had and made to take away all differences past and which might ensue betwixt the King the English and the Scots by the prudent and joynt advice of a select Committee of English and Scottish Lords as to remove all jealousies betwixt both Nations was soon after it was made scorned and slighted The Scots then complaining in their Informations made unto the See the same Book English their Friends and Brethren of many injuries they had received since the Pacification made and contrary to that Agreement This the Condition then of the Scots These the very words of their Remonstrance That the Vnion and Brotherly League entered into by both Nations was in the King's Indignation no otherwise construed then an Invitation in the One and Invasion of a See the King's accompt of them how in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He keeps it in memory That they were the first that began His troubles in the Treatise of His leaving Oxford and going to the Scots and elswhere in severall places of that Book Also in the Declaration printed on the King's behalf at Oxford 1643. Page 23. Suggesting an intent in them to confound the Government and alter the Laws of England p. 28. The Marquesse of Montrosse declareth how they began His Troubles viz. by dispersing their Apologeticall Pamphlets as he terms them through great Brittain before the troubles began and before their coming with an Army into England See a Book entituled The History of His Majesty's Affairs under the Conduct of the Marquesse in the yeers 1644 1645 1646. Page 3. Forreigners in the other Nation and howsoever the Charge in the seven Articles exhibited against the six Members of both Houses was laid to those few only yet probably it had reached many other of the English Nation had not the first assault of Violence in the King's Party miscarryed as it did So many sad and direfull notes could not but portend a War against one or both Nations as Time and Opportunity should best serve to manage the Design in hand or else the Parliament knowing themselves to be a free and full Convention in all parts a Parliament both in the Substance and Form Summoned by the King 's Writ to meet c. as in the Circumstance of Time and Place must submit to the Will and Pleasure of an b Amongst other motives to His anger about the E. of Strafford's death which whether He would have avenged on the Party who condemned him may be guessed at in that He or an unknown Author in His name severall times repents the injustice of that act How Himself was forced to yeeld complyance for which sin as He mentions it He and His Kingdoms have felt long great and heavy troubles See the same Book in the Treatise concerning the E. of Strafford and the Marq. of Montrosse his Declaration set forth 1649. aggravating the same to incense the King and His Party against the Scots expressing in it their disloyall practices breach of Duty Covenants calling them Traytors c. incensed King So to be Dissolved or Awed at pleasure or to have Boundaries put upon their Acts and Counsels by such as they knew to be corrupt and would have removed from the King To the end His Throne might be established That in this agony and doubt whether They should Submit Desist or Act according to their Trust they thought it neerly land necessarily concerned them to provide for the publique welfare for their own and the Kingdoms safety some of their Members being impeached and charged two Kingdoms provoked and menaced the a See the King 's gratefull acknowledgment of the affection and loyalty of His Irish Subjects in offering to supply Him with Preparations c. together with their Persons and Estates even to the uttermost of their ability
to reduce His dis-affected Subjects of Scotland to their obedience desiring withall It may be recorded as an Ordinance of Parliament and to be printed as a testimony of their Loyalty to all the world and to succeeding ages which could not but stir up the Scots to seek protection and assistance from their fellow-Subjects and Friends wheresoever whom the King called His dis-affected Subjects and how He doth secern them from the rest is hard to judg when as the whole and most considerable part of that Kingdom did by their Pacts and Counsels at their Assemblies held withstand and resolve to withstand divers of His Messages obtruding on them such matters as made against the Peace of their Church and Kingdom See His Declaration since the Pacification Page 63. third also likely to bear a part in the broyls of the other two the King Himself jealous and displeased to see the Parliament then at distance with Him in transaction of matters concerning the three Kingdoms Petitioned and Appealed unto termed in an envious and scornfull way by some of His Party Omnipotent Others murmuringly upbraiding that it was Idolized Himself as it were neglected and left out none or seldom Addresses made to Him So the Parliament had a narrow path to tread between their hopes to regain the King 's lost Favour after many evidences of His Anger poured forth and their hazarding the ruine of those Principles which by their Duty and Covenant they were to assert and defend What those Principles were follows in this Discourse if rightly cast up but two in chief The securing the Protestant Religion the Primū quaerite The preserving the Laws and Peace b Suprema Lex salus Populi the chiefest Law the Peoples Safety The other Principles are subservient onely and fall in by complication and dependency upon those two as the means unto the end Lastly Sir That this Parliament thus acting You strenuously argued as knowing well that their Cause was just their War Defensive when another a Mr. Denz Hollis his Speech June 1642. Gentleman of the like abilities with you had in an excellent Speech delivered to that purpose That there was a succession of Designes to interrupt it as first by awing and taking away the Freedom of it by an Army then actually assaulting it and with the Sword to cut asunder the onely Nerves which strengthens and knits together the King and People the People amongst themselves and the whole frame of Government in one firm and indissoluble knot of Peace and Vnity That the Parliaments taking up Arms was to defend onely to repell the force and violence practised by a few of the King's side at first afterwards to provide against the mischief which His party heightened through Rage against the Parliament pretence of Loyalty towards the King might several ways intend That the Parliaments resisting His and His Party's attempts was as you then judged and discoursed for no other end then to maintain their own just Priviledges in order to the Maintenance of the Laws and Liberties of their fellow Subjects That they did not intend an offensive War the consequences whereof as of all Civil Discords could not but prove calamitous and sad the event and period as fatall and uncertain when as besides the two Parties immediately engaged each against the other a middle and Neutrall part although wiser in their own eyes then their Fellow Subjects worse as well in the b See the Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford Printed there pag. 26 27. King's Parties Accompt as in the Parliaments would fall in more to be shunned then a moderate Enemy That it being presumed the aim and councels of the Parliament and all men else being for Peace and Justice a War once waged would hinder and destroy their ayms and produce more overtures for discord more fresh supplies for quarrelling in the prosecuting which many unexpected chances would fall out to increase the discord as in the controversies between man and man he who hath not been so forward and visibly active for the side unto which he doth adhere shall be traduced and accused by him that loves him not for a Neutrall or an Enemy That amidst their hopes of Conquering there would not be wanting discontented and seditious humours even out of their own Party to traduce and calumniate their proceedings if not consonant to their particular humours and phantasies That those humours would be fed and animated by the first and common Enemy on purpose to divide and weaken the prevailing Power That divers other Consequences likely to result from War would prove harsh and irksom to a People born and governed under Laws and Peace as that the Souldiery and prevailing power knowing their own opportunity and strength would be apt to intermeddle with private Interests to the perverting Justice and trampling down the Laws which in a time of Peace distributes to every man his just right so that thereby the People would not only want the blessing of Peace but grow subject to the oppression charges and injuries incident to a War The Parliament could not but foresee that in case a War were to be waged their own Countrymen the English both Officers and Common Souldiers must fight it out Forreigners Souldiers of Fortune when they have gained will desist their undertakings and be gone That the English were unaccustomed to war therefore not fit for the Discipline and managing thereof through an easie and soft way of breeding not able to endure the hardship and duties of a War howbeit experience hath otherwise proved it That the English Gallantry and their courage un-acquainted with the conditions of a Warfare and the temper requisite to a Souldier might make them upon every discontent as apt to mutiny and resist as fight for he is not always the best Souldier who hath most courage unless he hath temper withall to yeeld obedience to the commands of his Superiours The Parliament could not but be sensible withall of the troubled condition of their fellow Subjects that the apprehension of Engaging would carry with it a sad aspect all men unwilling to and wary how they did Engage That the engaging Parties on either side when they see the face of War inevitably approaching would for their better strength and Union betake themselves to what Policy Pacts and Leagues they could Defensive and Offensive as to binde themselves and friends by Vow and Covenant which being to consist of severall Heads and Parts could not be so exactly and entirely framed but might admit of a doubtfull sense how to be be observed how to be understood in part or in the whole so consequently divide the Covenanters within themselves They could not but withall know that which side soever should prevail both sides would be loosers the King and Kingdom vast a See it recited in the Declaration Printed at Oxford 1643 pag. 13. sufferers in the loss as they in an humble dutiful Message although
side being in the next ranke unto the King and therefore likely to adhere to Him and the Commonalty on the other sticking fast to their native Liberties which the King had of late encroached upon not sparing the other's also an Emulation might or would be kindled by the Common Enemy to beget an universall Distraction and Division between two great Bodies the Gentry and Nobility on the One and the Commonalty on the Other side before a deliberate true examining the misunderstanding which the heat of War would scarce give leave unto should set it aright These Reasons throughly weighted could not but induce the Parliament to decline a war yea deter Them from leavying one These might withall together with many more which might be added hereunto imprint in you and in all men else who shall impartially look into the beginnings and progress of this War an undoubted knowledge of the Parliaments just Actings and these Reasons of Fore-sight together with what hath past might satisfie all knowing and discerning men that if the Parliament did intend to levy a War against the King's Evill Counsellours the Kingdome 's a K. James his Speech in Parliament 1609. Pests and Vipers rather Then they would be born down in their just defence They did not intend to leavy one against the King who had as many Freinds to adhere unto as the Parliament had Enemies of many sorts Offenders Interested and obnoxious persons to confront and oppose them But. I may spare the pains of setting forth what your own Prudence hath foreseen and your Actions have thitherto directed you For Sir R. C. his sake and yours rather through the same motions of Conscience Judgement many other Gentlemen of quality did take part with ye Before and after his untimely death you carried us on in an active constancy challenging about seven years since when the King began to make Oxford a Garrison some Travellers of His Party and enquiring whether they went they confessed to Oxford and their errand You roughly replied 'T was they and such as they that did take part with the King against His Parliament and People That they did magnifie the King c. to beget and foment a War A little before you with many other Gentlemen of the three neighbouring Counties did enter into an Association for a joyntly defending one another If the Enemy shall prevail whether it will be Treason for what is past or made so for the time to come I argue not but remember well how criminall and Traiterous the King's Friends have reported it About six years since the Enemy growing powerfull in these parts and Bristoll being gained by Him you lived within His Quarters bound by strong obligation not to depart but to be limited to a Summons The King soon after He had taken that City came thither to compose the difference between Prince Rupert and the Earl of Hartford about the Governourship of that Place He had then amongst other things a survey of the Gentlemen dwelling neer and their affections casting and examining with His Friends there who might be for who against Him some of His Courtiers undertook for this some for that Gentleman and Neighbour A great Courtier a Friend of yours undertook or moved His Majestie on your behalf whereunto the King having been belike possessed before with an ill opinion of you replied with harsh and disgracefull words as I have credibly heard against your person which 't is presumed He could not charge you with from any immediate or neer notice He had of you but as you were represented unto Him by some who loved you not He nevertheless whether out of His indulgence to gain you unto His Party or to Try you after when He had made sure His Conquest your name being in the Catalogue of this County Rebels the a Lent Assizes appointed to be held at Tewksbury April 11. 1643. Time and Place appointed for your Tryall was content to preserve you from being undone being then at His mercy What use might be made of His sparing you you knew best Two yeers after Bristoll was got from Him much of which service attributed unto you with some other Gentlemen of the Neighbourhood leading up the Countrymen unto the Siege thereof the Lord Generall then and afterwards giving you applause for that your aid About three years since you caused divers Meetings to be had in severall Towns neer unto us where the Countrymen were summoned to declare what Arms they had whatsoever the pretence was in looking into the Book which the Parishioners do keep for such their Poor as are relievable by a Statute-Law and taking care for them examining the estates of such as were of ability to relieve the Poor of such as were fit and best able to be at the charge of Arms for the repulsing Souldiers in case they came on the sudden to quarter below-hill or to do other violence then to return up hill to their friends who might assist them such was the condition of these and the adjacent parts where Parties were scattered up and down the Parliament having friends in these inclosed and nearer Parts the King in the Champeign and not far distant from us yet you my self and the Country-men knew we had another and more uniform aym of preventing sudden incursions which the King's Party many of them being Gentlemen and well horsed might offer unto our Neighbours Not long after you were chosen to be our Knight for the County in the competition of which place my self your servant was sedulous and successfull to take off all blemishes then thrown on you by those who laboured as much to fill the County-Court with the noyse of your being for the King Soon after that you were challenged by a * Sir J. H. fellow-Member sitting in the House of Parliament to be within one of the Qualifications which renders men Delinquents Notwithstanding which you Sate Voted and were Trusted in the House At severall meetings you enforced such Arguments against the King's Party and for the Parliaments You have them yet in your breast and can deal at single hand with any of the opposite Party if affection importunity and often dropping strange inventions into your ears shall not misleade you that you satisfied the hearers and even convinced them had they been convincible Since that upon the newly hatched and easie to be reconciled Difference between the Presbyterian and Independent you received a Letter from your above-named Servant mentioning the probability of the Armies advance in or about July was twelve moneth towards London in that Letter setting forth That neither of those two Tenents of Presbyterian Independent had taken as yet such root as to beget a quarrell to the overthrow of both upon their Conquering which I rather think to be an event of their good success then from any self-wilfull-humour many of them on either part being sober and discerning Gentlemen and if throughly weighed what is like to be the issue
press their fellow Subjects necks not by an easie or ordinary course to be taken off The Contention indeed betwixt those two Presbyterian Independent growing as before observed through the pride of conquering or cunningly contrived by their common enemy on purpose by dividing to overcome them both The difference in dispute is not in Opinion but in Fact as amongst other things unto whose charge the deluge of Blood spilt in this war is to be laid Ye have declared That it is to be laid at the King His Parties doors particularly the bloodguilty and horrid act of hindring the relief of Ireland whereby thousands of his Protestant Subjects have been slain which holdes the three heretofore united Kingdoms in a languishing and mournful Estate even at this day the one divided against the other and the People of all three despairing to enjoy their former Peace ye instancing First In His sparingly and too late proclaiming their enemies Rebels when the Rebellion first broke out by signing Commissions to the chief Actors in the Rebellion The Parliaments Commissioners at the a See the Objections and Answers at large in the relation of the passages at the meeting at Vxbridg 1644. printed then at Oxford Treaty of Vxbridg urging besides His disapproving the subscriptions of the Adventurers and Officers of the Army employed for the relief of his Protestant Subjects there by means whereof the course intended was then diverted His making a Cessation with the Rebels which had it not been made in the time of their greatest wants and the Forces employed against them not drawn off they might in probability have been ere this subdued and the war even finished in stead thereof it is protracted That Kingdom having been by the prowess and wisdom of His a Hen. 2. Q Eliz. Predecessors kept entire united unto and a b The Law Book cases give the reason why the bringing counterfeit mony into England out of Ireland is but Misprision of Treason although the bringers know and utter it Quia Hibernia est membrum Angliae Dalton Justice of Peace in cap. de High Treason Member of this State of England is by His and His Party's strength abetting it put into a Condition and even invited to invade and conquer This. That the Commissioners sent by the two Houses of Parliament for the better supply and encouragement of the Army in that Kingdom were discountenanced and commanded from the Councel there where the prosecution of the war was to be managed and By whose Authority and Command was all this done The House of Lords and Commons in the debate with the King about the affaires of Ireland sent His Majesty word that His message then sent to Them wherein He chargeth Them with false pretences and a purpose in Them to divert large summes of money collected from the English from the proper use to which it was intended was an high breach of the Priviledge of Parliament and upon that occasion They declare many particulars of their care for the relief of Ireland and the King 's hindring it Those particulars there expressed are as followeth They declare That this bloudy Rebellion was first vaised by the same Councells that had before brought two Armies within the bowels of this Kingdom and two protestant Nations ready to welter in each others bloud which were both defrayed a long time at the charge of the poor Commons of England and quietly at last disbanded by God's blessing on the Parliaments endeavours That this designe failing the same wicked Councels who had caused that impious war raised this barbarous Rebellion in Ireland and recommended the suppressing thereof for the better colour to the Parliaments care who out of a fellow-feeling of the unspeakable miseries of their Protestant Brethren there not suspecting this horrid Plot now too apparent did cheerfully undertake that great work and do really intend and endeavour to settle the Protestant Religion and a permanent Peace in that Realm to the Glory of God the honor and profit of His Majesty and security of His three Kingdoms But how they have been discouraged retarded and diverted in and from this pious and glorious work by those trayterous Councels about his Majesty will appear by these particulars They there mention the sending over at first of twenty thousand pounds by the Parliament and that good way found out to reduce Ireland by the Adventure of private men without charging the Subject in general which would probably have brought in a million of money had the King continued in or neer London and not by leaving His Parliament and making war upon it so intimidated and discouraged the adventurers and others who would have adventured that that good Bill is rendred in a manner ineffectuall They mention that when at the sole charge of the Adventurers five thousand foot and five hundred horse were designed for the relief of Munster under the Command of an English Lord and nothing was wanting but a Commission to inable him for the service such was the power of wicked Councel that no Commission could be obtained from the King by reason whereof Lymrick was wholy lost and the Province of Munster since in very great distress That when wel-affected persons at their own charge by way of Adventure had prepared twelve Ships and Pinaces with a thousand Land Forces for the service of Ireland desiring nothing but a Commission from His Majesty that Commission after twice sending to York for it and the ships lying ready to set sail three weeks together at the charge of neer three hundred pounds a day was likewise denied and those Adventurers rather then to lose their Expedition were constrained to go by vertue of an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament That although the Lords lustices of Ireland earnestly desired to have two Pieces of Battery sent over as necessary for that service yet such commands were given to the Officers of the Tower That none of the King's Ordnance must be sent to save His Kingdom That a prime Engineer and Quartermaster-General of the Army in Ireland and in actual employment there against the Rebels was called away from that important service by express command from the King That a Captain Controller of the Artillery a man in pay and principally employed and trusted here by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for providing and ordering the Trayn of Artillery which was to be sent to Dublin and who had received great summes of money for that purpose was commanded from that employment and trust to serve the King in this unnatural war against His Parliament and when the Parliament had provided six hundred suits of Clothes for present relief of the poor Souldiers in Ireland and sent them towards Chester the Waggoners that undertook the carriage of them were assaulted by the King's Souldiers lying about Coventry who took away the Clothes That three hundred suits of Clothes sent likewise by the Parliament for Ireland with a Chirurgion's chest of Medicaments towards
Chester were all taken away by the King s Troopers under command of a Captain together with the Carrier's horses and Waggon for the King's service As likewise that a great number of draught-horses prepared by the Parliament for the Artillery and baggage of the Irish Army and sent to Chester for that purpose being there attending a passage were then required by the King for His present service in England whose Forces were so quartered about the Roads to Ireland that no Provision could pass thither by Land with any Safety That two other Captains the Admiral and vice Admiral of the Ships appointed to lie upon the Coast of Ireland to annoy the Rebels and to prevent the bringing Ammunition and relief from Forreign Parts were both called away from that Imployment by the King's Command and by reason of their departure from the Coast of Munster to which they were designed the Rebels there have received Powder Ammunition and other relief from Forreign Parts * See these Charges mentioned by the Houses of Parliament against the King in Mr. May his History lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 118. By which particulars say they it may seem that those Rebels were countenanced there upon design to assist the Enemies of the Parliament here especially considering that those confident Rebels have presumed very lately to send a Petition to the King intituling themselves His Majesties Catholick Subjects of IRELAND and complaining of the Puritan Parliament of England and defiring that since His Majestie comes not thither according to their expectation they may come into England to His Majestie So the Question by way of Argument between the King and Parliament as between the Commissioners on either side is laid aside and now to be decided by no other Umpire then the Sword and what the two opposite Parties on either side have a long time strove for the one defending their Cause in their Books and Writings by vehemency and height of Wit the other theirs by solid and substantiall Prudence is left to the Conquerour to determine What the odds is betwixt their Writings because controverted by either side which Party doth declare and argue the more Prudentially the reasons of their severall undertakings in this quarrell as which Party the Kings or the Parliaments have writ more solidly and substantially concerning the Subject of this War which more genuinely and sincerely without expatiating or rayling Jests have argued let the impartiall Reader judg So because there may not want fuell for Contention 't is debated concerning the Actions of Cruelty on either part the Kings the Parliaments which did act with more cruelty by putting to the Sword spayling by consuming with Fire laying waste Towns Villages Houses I believe our Neighbour a BERKSHIRE and other places neer us County as far as you and I have observed gives Testimony against the One in a sad Record As to the Writings on either side for Instance sake take three or four here following for the rest First the Letter to the Governour and Councell of War at BRISTOL that City being then a Garrison for the Parliament from the Lord Generall of the King's Forces b See Mr. May his History of the Parliament of England mentioning the Demand and the Answer requiring the Governour and Councell there to forbear the putting to death the two Citizens threatning withall to retaliate the like Judgment and Execution upon some Gentlemen of the Parliaments Party kept Prisoners by the King 's with the Resolution and sober Answer of the Governour and Councell to such Message The quality of which Answer is fore-judged already and Replyed unto in Print To be an insolent c In a Book of an unknown Author called the States Martyr Pamphlet with other words of scorn when other men well seen in Morals and the Martiall affairs of War deem it to be a stout apposite and well penn'd Answer Secondly That from the Marquesse of Argyle and Sir William Armyne Commissioners from both Kingdoms of England Scotland fully d See the Message and the Answer and in few words delivering their Intentions and Reasons for the Summons sent to the Governour of Carlisle a Garrison for the King with his Answer unto them full of words pregnancy of wit and jealousie rejecting their Summons And some of His Party derogating elswhere from the worth of a See the History of the King's affairs in Scotland c. Where the Historian speaking of Montrosse and the Marquesse of Argyle the Generals of the two opposite Armies in the Kingdom of Scotland he highly extols Montrosse and as much reviles and derogates from Argyle rendring him in many passages of that Book a poor-spirited Souldier and a Knave when as in other mens judgments he hath proved himself a valiant and expert Commander a Religious and wise Gentleman one of the Commissioners b See this mentioned in the Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford March 1643. and Printed there A third Which because 't is short You have here recited in the very words sent from both Houses of Parliament to the King with His Parties descant and scornful Comment on the same The Message sent from both Houses of Parliament to the King May it please your Majestie WE the Lords and Commons Assembled in the Parliament of England taking into our Consideration a Letter sent from Your Majestie dated the third of March instant and directed to the Lords and Commons of Parliament Assembled at Westminster Which by the Contents of a Letter from the Earl of Forth unto the Lord General the Earl of Essex we conceive was intended to our Selves Have resolved with the concurrent advice and consent of the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland to represent to your Majestie in all humility and plainnesse as followeth That as we have used all means for a just and a safe Peace so will we never be wanting to do our utmost for the procuring thereof But when we consider the expressions in that Letter of Your Majesties We have more sad and despairing thoughts of attaining the same then ever because thereby those Persons now Assembled at Oxford who contrary to their duty have deserted Your Parliament are put into an equall Condition with it and this Parliament Convened according to the known and Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom the continuance whereof is established by a Law consented unto by Your Majesty is in effect denied to be a Parliament The Scope and intention of that Letter being to make provision how all the Members as is pretended of both Houses may securely meet in a full and free Convention of Parliament whereof no other conclusion can be made but that this present Parliament is not a full nor free Convention And that to make it a full and free Convention of Parliament the presence of those is Necessary who notwithstanding that they have deserted that great Trust and do Levy War against the Parliament are pretended to be Members
of the two Houses of Parliament And hereupon we think our selves bound to let Your Majestie know That seeing the continuance of this Parliament is setled by a Law which as all other Laws of Your Kingdoms Your Majestie hath sworn to maintain as we are sworn to our Allegiance to Your Majestie those obligations being reciprocall we must in duty and accordingly are resolved with our Lives and Fortunes to defend and preserve the Just Rights and full Power of this Parliament And do beseech Your Majestie to be assured That your Majesties Royall and hearty Concurrence with us herein will he the most effectuall and ready means of procuring a firm and lasting Peace in all Your Majesties Dominions and of begetting a perfect understanding between Your Majesty and Your People without which Your Majesties most earnest Professions and our most reall Intentions concerning the same must necessarily be frustrated And in case Your Majesties three Kingdoms should by reason thereof remain in this sad and bleeding Condition tending by the continuance of this unnaturall War to their Ruine Your Majesty cannot be the least nor the last sufferer God in his goodness incline Your Royall breast out of Pity and Compassion to those deep sufferings of Your Innocent People to put a speedy and happy issue to these desperate Evils by the joynt advice of both Your Kingdoms now happily united in this Cause by their late solemn League and Covenant Which as it will prove the surest remedy so is it the earnest prayer of your Majesties Loyall Subjects the Lords and Commons Assembled in the Parliament of England Grey of Wark Speaker of the House of Peers in Parliament pro tempore William Lenthall Speaker of the Commons-House in Parliament Westminster the 9. of of March 1643. The Kings Parties Apprehension and Comment on the Letter in these words Whosoever considers that this should be a Letter from Subjects might well think it very unbeseeming Language in them to call His Majestie 's earnest endeavours for Peace but Professions and their own feigned pretences most reall Intentions but much more wonder at that menacing Language that His Majestie cannot be the least or last sufferer which expressions from Subjects in Arms to their Soveraign what dangerous construction they may admit We are unwilling to mention Thus much for the King's Parties Comment on the Letter One other intercourse of Messages between both Parties of a latter time * See the King's Letter March 23. 1644. and the Answer to the Committees Summons in April fellowing The Summons sent by the Committee of both Kingdoms to the Governour of Newark for surrendring that Town and Fort. The Summons expressing perswasive and valid reasons to surrender it the Governour rather his Secretaries Answer full of good Language courage and strength of wit wherein mentioning the King's Parties Letter sent the 23. of March 1644. unto both Houses of Parliament he urges the King's granting gracious Conditions and proves it in that He would Disband His Forces Dismantle His Garrisons c. He who penned the Answer recites not all the King's Proposals as that He would have His Friends Pardoned the Sequestration taken from off their Estates and the like either he saw not the King 's whole Letter being he recites one part only or else he smiles in his sleeve thinking by his reserved and short Comment on His Letter to satisfie the Committee there and the whole Kingdom besides of the King 's gratious inclination in that Letter whereof the Answerer reciteth but one part The Letter was full and easie to be understood taking it collectively and altogether not apart as of Disbanding Dismantling c. had not He expected to have his Friends pardoned and their Sequestrations wholy taken off Such manner of collective speaking is conditional the one to be done on the one side if the rest be performed on the other The Answerer's mentioning so much of the Letter as may serve the turn in reciting the King 's gracious promise leaves out on what Condition the Promise is made the condition annexed to the Promise frustrates the vertue of the Promise for that which the Answerer cals gracious in the King's Letter of Disbanding His Forces if nothing else were to be expected are in every mans judgment as in the Answerer's gracious indeed but that the King expects to have His Friends His party pardoned the Sequestrations wholly taken off from their Estates were by giving way to the revoking their own Judgements to accuse themselves of injustice-doing to put them whom the Parliament accounted offenders and their Enemies into as good or better condition then their own friends the Answerer if knowing the King 's whole Letter and would contract it into parts reciting only that which serves his turn the Committee being presumed solid and understanding Gentlemen would questionless follow the Dictates of their own Judgment without replying to the Answerer For Oratory and strength of wit which haply may delight some Readers but cures not the Distempers and Calamities of a Civill War nor satisfies the serious expectation of unbyassed Spectators or Actors in these Tragedies it is confess'd that the Assembly at Oxford their Party in their Quarters there having the more facete and nimble wits with the help and influence of the Youth and Schollars there may seem to exceed the Parliament and those whom the Parliament imploys in their Empressions But let the Books on either side be examined by the Test of Reason Prudence the Reader will soon discern the Difference And these four remarkable Messages instanced in may decide the Contest none other of all their Conflicts of that kinde being more opposite each to other nor any of their Messages reciprocally sent more disdainfully rejected on either side as far as I have traced their Writings then these four above-mentioned But to the Reasons of your deserting your first judgment if so you have I rather judg it to be a fencing and tryal of wits in an Argumentative way of discoursing only then any settled revolting from your first Opinion you are well read in the good man's Character who will not be afraid for any evill tydings His heart standeth fast and will not shrink c. The Arguments you have lately taken up against the residing part of the Parliament and the Army the maintainer of your Power next under God the preserver of our Peace are none of yours nor like to yours The House of Parliament being grown thin By your and other Gentlemen of your Eminency deserting it is become more thin the more weak it is through your Defections the more need it hath of being supported by your Return As for the Force which you and your subdivided party urge to be offered to ye by the Army your Servants an high affront and breach of Parliament Priviledges Both your parties Presbyterian and Independent seem to be forced alike not in an equall degree of Strength and Number but in a strict and closer
was Respice finem the prudential Proverb is made good by an acute Epigram Non refert quà sed quò So the maintenance of the King's Honor c. are but the Means in relation order to the End the preservation of Religion Laws c. The well-weighing which Protestation might have confined and settled the unresolved and doubtfull thoughts of man in what the end and aym of the Protestation was A promise to fulfil in as much as in us lies the Commandements of the first and second Table of the Law directing our duty towards God and Man the severall parts in the Protestation tending in the summe to the maintenance of God's Honor the King 's the Subjects Right and Liberty no one part thereof if rightly applyed and understood crossing another and therefore how it comes to passe that the Protestation being one and the same the course of mens affections should be thus divided into Factions and Part-takings or that some should be of opinion That to maintain the King's Honour Person and Estate is to adhere unto Him in this present War in what He shall command They should withall consider the other parts of the Protestation viz. the Defence of the Protestant Religion the Power and Priviledges of Parliament the Subject's Right and Liberty for by the Protester's observing all the King is best observed and truliest His Honour and Promises being engaged to maintain the latter three when as every one who took the Protestation did in his thoughts endeavour and intend according to his Power to make Him a Soveraign Lord of a Free and Flourishing People the King's Protestations concurring with and tending to that end So the Protestation taken altogether is best observed and kept To the Protestation for the defence of the Protestant Religion every one who takes it is not immediately and specially bound by vertue of his Vow to discover and make known to extirpate or remove all Papists that is above the Power and Liberty of every common person neither is wishing well alone and sitting still a sufficient discharge of the Protester's duty of vowing to Endeavour Endeavouring is a progressive motion and the Protester's supine failing to endeavour can be no better reckoned of then the * Livy Historian did of those Souldiers who dreamed of their Enemies Votis sedendo debellari posse or what the * Isaiah Prophet doth of the Egyptians that their strength was sitting still A perfunctory and neutrall slackness in the Protester satisfies not the precept which God himself enjoyns When thou vowest a vow unto the Lord thou shalt not be slack to pay it and wherein many have not onely deserted this their Vow but endeavoured against the same others contemplatively only and remiss as not endeavouring at all but with cautious reservations and forbearances keep off their endeavourings The passive and faint observing of the Vow in some the Acting contrary to their Vow in others is a sin which God is justly angry for visiting this Land of late with long and heavy judgments wherefore if he who hath taken this Protestation and shall solemnly observe the same shall foresee or hath cause of suspition to believe that the Protestant Religion is or was when he took the same in danger of declining that the Papist is connived at countenanced by b Which is not the Author's Observation alone but the unanimous judgment of most part of the Kingdom observed by their several Petitions at that time presented especially that of the Gentry and Trained Bands of the County of Essex presented to their Lord Lieutenant the Earl of Warwick See Mr. May his History lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 105. higher Powers for the Question is not about the certain and actual bringing in of Popery but touching the pregnancy of suspition if the Protester adhereth to that Party which promiseth to defend the Protestant and opposeth that which countenanceth the Popish his Protestation is then truliest kept a Promise or Vow the more pursued the more fulfilled In like manner to the other part of the same Protestation viz. The Maintenance of the Kings Honour every one who takes the same is not thereby bound to comply assent unto and obey the King in whatsoever He may command whether unlawfull or unjust or to think all his attempts and actions Justifyable throughout This were indeed in the highest degree to honour Him but in a more serious and as truly a Loyall way of His being Honoured by His Subjects is when they or those who are put in Place and Authority over them shall enquire into and provide against all things incident to His Dishonour when they shall endeavour to suppress all Affronts which may be offered to His Dignity This though a more remote and less flattering yet a more stable and certain discharge of Duty in Honouring Him Again as to that part of the Covenant That They had then no intention to diminish His just Power and Greatness They might intend no less untill They saw They could not overcome Him by humble Applications and Addresses that they could not discern any acknowledgment of His former Errours any placable or propitious heart towards His Parliament and People any condiscending to those Propositions as the only and necessary means for setling a safe Peace long since tendered to Him joyntly and unanimously by ye all Presbyterians and Independents as they are called yet not all of ye concluding or providing what was to be done in case He did refuse But instead thereof contrary to the * See the Articles of the large Treaty Pag. 16. Demand 4. granted by the King Aug. 1641. Articles of the large Treaty agreed upon viz. That none should be admitted to his Counsell or Attendance but such as should be approved of by both Kingdoms gracing and preferring to His neerest secrecy and trust a Person proclaimed guilty of High Treason charging still and banding with the Parliament the Supreamest and greatest Councell for Weight and Number in all EUROPE contending to lay the Blood spilt in this War at their doors and theirs alone ever seeking by His Pyoners by a covert and restless ill-will one way against the a See the Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 23. and elsewhere in that Book His Party 's constant and continued ill-will towards the City of London The City styled by His party in their wonted Invectives against it The Nursery and Treasury of Armes and Ammunition employed against their King continued even to this day to be termed by them a Rebellious City upon all occasions Mercur. Pragmat from Jan. 28. to Feb. 4. 1649. further continuing his Invectives against the City in his weekly Pamphlet Place receiving Them another against their b See their Declaration printed at Oxford 1643. pag. 14 15. against the suggested irregular and undue proceedings of the Common Councel in London the Representative of the whole City Friends assisting Them to undermine their Power They thought
the Covenant not like an c See the Letter of the Ministers within the Province of London and their notice-taking of the Parliament and Army's conceipt had of the Covenant pag. 8. Almanack out of date as the Ministers smilingly object but like an Obligation where the Obligor is destitute and left remediless through the Obligee his restless fury and oppression disabling him from performing his Conditions d See His Party's Opinion of the Covenant and the taking it in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 113 114 115. whither and how far it is to be kept how little uniformity there is in the taking or keeping it and for what purpose in the Author's judgment framed at first how ambiguous and hard to to understood how much mistaking or dissembling in the making it at first or misrepresenting by those who like it not that howbeit one part thereof is That 〈◊〉 had then no intention to diminish the King's 〈…〉 Power and Greatness the Author in the King's name conceives That it was made and 〈…〉 the King as in many places of the Treatise against the Covenant he complaineth See also the King's Declaration since the Pacification against the Scots and the Covenant pag 8. Which Opinion of his see confirmed in the Marquesse of Montrosse his Declar◠set forth 1649. as in a Book called the History of the King's affaires in Scotland before recited pag. 5. One part of the Covenant then taken was That They had no thoughts or intentions to diminish the King 's just Power and Greatness Another part was when They press the Covenant taking the maintenance of the Peace and Union between the three Kingdoms They would bring to justice all without respect of Persons who did or should wilfully oppose the same or hinder such Peace and Vnion So that if the King did by Himself by His Friends and followers by His example awing other men from taking the Covenant or did by any Power or Commission whether to defend Himself or to offend His opposites act or abet whereby the Peace became disturbed one Kingdom engaged against another the Parliament could not according to their Covenant preserve His Power and Greatness and punish such without respect of persons as did wilfully oppose the same comprehending all who did adhere unto or take part with him So that the Covenant the parts whereof seem to be inconsistent and irreconciliable within themselves and therefore not perfectly and exactly to be kept is either newly to be molded or which is more probable the War to continue between the Covenanters and the non-Covenanters many thousands of men neither having nor through the King's example willing to take the same The great Quarrel of ignorant men against the uniform current of the Holy Scripture of an higher concernment then an humane Covenant is acutely taken up by a learned * Paraus Writer Distingue tempora reconciliantur Scripturae in answer unto those who cavil against the Scriptures as if the Texts thereof were dissonant and repugnant each to other as if God's word certain and infallible in it self were contradictory to it self Distinguish between the time of the Covenant taking four or five yeers before the time of bringing the King to Tryal Observe the limitation in the particle of the Covenant That They had then no intention to diminish the King's just Power in opposition to unlawful and arbitrary and you will finde that the Covenant could not be so well and safely taken or that it is not so hainously broke as your Enemies give out But to your Objections against the Army That in adhering unto them is to trust to an Arm of Flesh so all sublunary and earthly Powers are but Arms of flesh Secondly That Independency admits of all Irreligion Heresies c. The Proposition is not well proved in that some particular soldiers belonging to or others well-wishing to the Army do devise and publish strange and unsound Tenents and Opinions which is not to be imputed to the Army or the Parliament neither is a present Cure to be applyed for redress thereof in all parts and places where they are vented The Army and their Party have enough to do to prevent and provide against the Power and Policy of their Enemies without an overhasty endeavoring to suppress the Schisms and Errors of every one of their Adherents The complaint against Heresies Schisms abounding is just seasonable and the Heresies most fit to be suppres'd The Complaint is made long since and it was foretold of old that Heresies must be c. The Apostle gives the reason That the sound and approved Truth may be known from fond and received Heresie The ground and seminary of broaching them may be besides the common and inbred corruption of Pride and Falsehood which mankinde is prone unto that so many sorts of men in many places do despise and speak against the Scriptures although the Rule of Christian Faith Others unwarranted do undertake to teach and expound the same In disordered and licentious times caused through the distractions of a Civil War it may fall out as a * S. Jerome Father of the Church complained it did in his of Scripture-Teachers of Expounders of the Mysteries in Divinity cited by a learned Divine upon the words of the Apostle charging the unlearned and unstable for wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction whose presumption the Divine tells us is enough to produce any Schism or Heresie Sola saith he Scripturarum ars est quam sibi omnes passim vendicant hanc garrula annus hanc delirus senex hanc sophtsta verbosus he might have filled up the measure of his Complaint by discovering many other sorts of unlearned People intruding into the holy Mystery of Divinity hanc universi praesumunt lacerant docent antequam discunt Every one presuming upon his parts and gifts to be a Teacher and Interpreter of Scripture whereas Practitioners in other Arts can contain themselves within the bounds of their own Profession The reason why the unlearned are so bold may be their want of ability to discern the strength of the Objections which may be made against them By the unlearned is not meant he who hath not read a multitude of Authors but he who taking upon him to divide the Word of God is raw and unexperienced or if he hath experience wants judgment to make use of it The anguish that these rash Presumers bring unto the discreeter sort of Brethren cannot but be great when being convinced of their unsound opinions for the maintaining that which with much boldness and open falshoods they have averred they pretend the Authority of the Word and whatsoever conceit is begotten in their heads the Spirit of God to be presently the Author of it when as learned and judicious men in whom the Lord hath put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all maner of work for the service of the Sanctuary like Bezaleel and Aholiab refuse much
affections By their subtile practices to pursue and continue their Designs disguising them under several habits that what a Lions strength cannot the Foxes skin put on may work each one acting his severall part to the best advantage and improvement of the whole some bemoaning their dejected and low condition thereby to draw pity to their suggested wrongfull sufferings not that they think it so but that they may be thereby the less perceived to exercise their Art of gaining their strength and Power again both by nourishing Discontents and Seditions here at home and having Factors and Emissaries to solicite their Cause abroad By traducing and depressing the esteem of the Parliament and their Actions to render their Persons the more odious and contemptible thence the more weak and easie to be subdued By contriving and inventing Falshoods sometimes in the nature of reporting Prophesies in favour to the King and His success as to give out how happy and victorious He or His Posterity shall be Many the like devised Inventions in the nature of Predictions and Divinings some whereof made on purpose others as vainly reported and given out to give hopes unto His Party to try if the reporting such Prophecyings can bring the fruits of their endeavours within the compass of such Prophesies fulfilled By seditious Pamphletings and privily dispersing such by publishing other more weighty no less seditious Books obtruding them on such Authors as they please all to affect the Reader sometimes in the King s name always in His behalf particularly that Posthume one called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by many men given out to be His which if the Parliaments often Declarations Charges and Remonstrances against Him and His Proceedings be true those applauded Tracts and Meditations in that Book are but a reinforced dissembling put upon Him and the Greek words might be rather translated into the Image and Pourtraicture of a Counterfeit For the Author counterfeiting the King makes the Falshoods and Impostures obtruded upon the King to be his own then into the Image of a Prince Whosoever shall read the Parliaments often Declarations and Charges against the King set forth since the beginning of this War not denyed or answered by any of His Party saving in a recriminatory and scoffing way calling the Parliament and their Adherents Rebels Or who shall read the a Written by Mr. Tho. May 1647. beginning at Pag 6. unto pag. 46. Moreover how Corruption and Oppressions irremediably grew through the Discontinuance and defect of Parliaments not called through the often Dissolving them in the time of His Reign and His Declarations published against the Members of some of them which the Historian reports the dejected People were forced to read with patience and to allow against their own Reason Wherein many things are there observed concerning the maner of the Scots proceedings before and even at the first beginnings of these Troubles Their sufferings how by their humble applying themselves unto the King for redress they could have none In fine the aversness of the English People from a War with Scotland pag. 46. History of the Parliament of England summarily reciting the Kings aversness from Parliaments cannot but acknowledg that b See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on that Tract Book whatsoever the fair and plausible flourishes in it pretend of the King 's inclining to and desiring Parliaments to be falsly and injuriously Charged on him Falsely because They cannot but know how unwillingly and seldom He called any how oft he did dissolve or attempt to dissolve them when they were called whence the Answer meets the Objection That the Parliament's Party did begin the preparations for a War before the King 's The King's c Mr. May his History aversness to call Parliaments His d Mr. Hollis his Speech awing and dissolving them at pleasure often and long before any preparations could be thought of for a War may satisfie the objection when as moreover divers of his Friends and Party have long before fortified and furnished their houses in many parts of the Kingdom with Arms and Ammunition no other notice taken till of late then of adorning such for strength and splendor which w th some smal addition became strong Garisons for him The Parliaments friends had none or not so many Holds so soon or suddenly to be fortified for their defence The Author to have made his own Impostures and Dissembling the King's desires of Peace and Justice the more compleat and full might without blushing aswell have added one Treatise more to the twenty eight to have rendered the King free and innocent from that great offence of the Massacres committed in the Irish Troubles and declared Him guiltless of so much of his Subjects Blood as the Rebellion there hath cost A Treatise added to that Book with such an Apology on the King's behalf might have passed under the same belief and credit as other well penned passages in the Book when as the contrary is well known as the two Houses of Parliament have in their Charges and Remonstrances set forth to the publike view such Transactions of the King 's betwixt Him and the Irish concerning His conniving at and favoring the Rebels there under colour of raising freinds and Assistance thence to serve Him in the War against the Parliament here as to finde Him guilty of the Blood spilt in that Kingdom as in This. Injuriously charged on the King in that the Author and Reader also if a Friend to Him and would have the Book to be reputed His do wound His honor and render the maner of His death the more unchristian then otherwise it would be judged when whilest the Life is mortal they make the vices of Dissembling and uncharitableness to be surviving and immortall motions The reporting it to be the King 's seems besides to blemish the credit of those Penitentiall Expressions therein derogating from the serious retired and solid parts wherewith He was endowed then doubtless free from the affectated words whereof the Book is full in defence of the manifold actions of His incident to this War Many of them too weakly excused to be His although in an handsome way of writing to possess the belief of men obtruded on Him by indeed the Author of the Book Namely and more particularly That weakly objected Crime of the Author in the King's name blaming the Parliaments Army for discovering the King's Letters taken at Naseby Fight upbraiding them with an uncivil and inhumane dealing in publishing them Whosoever shall praise the Book and thence draw applause unto the King should for the better glory of it have expunged some improbable and extravagant passages and inserted others more necessary and satisfactory one Tract at least of the King's care and zeal for the security and maintenance of the true Protestant Religion what He hath written or acted to clear those doubts to wipe away those Jealousies had of Him no where to be found in the Book and a
engaging for the King to be offenders now for their late submitting to their Compositions for Delinquency for their complying with the Parliaments Votes howbeit thereby they are free from molestation for the future whilest the Parliament maintain and keep up their Power Wherefore it is resolved that an universal Engagement shall be had as a Bond and League to bring all men into one and the same judgement that from an a Mr. Lambard's Eirenarch lib. 1. cap. 2. in in his Tract on K. Edw. 3. His Writ directed to the High Sheriff of Kent for the proclaiming a Peace where he speaks first of uniting mindes then of restraining hands as a means to the Preservation of the Publique Peace Unity of mindes a Restraining of the hands may ensue in order to the setling of a firm and lasting Peace Admit that these Doubts were unquestionable these Dangers so removed and taken away to our best advantage and security that there needed no Engagement or League to bring all men into one and the self same minde yet the constant prejudice and ill-will which the Enemy hath to the Parliament and their Proceedings causeth him with many more of his kinde and spirit to dislike and refuse the Engagement because the Parliament hath enjoyned it and for no other cause then to quarrel with and oppose their Authority The other sort of High Treason wherewith the Parliament stands charged is The making a new b See the Oxford Declaration page 21. Great-Seal counterfeiting the Kings Observe Sir the justness of such Charge The Great-Seal an instrument of State whereby Justice is derived and distributed to the People as the divided Members at Oxford do confess being surreptitiously and vafrously taken away from the Parliament the Representative Body of the People contrary to the Trust reposed in the Keeper of the same the making of a new one cannot be rightly judged Counterfeiting within the meaning of the c 25 Edw 3. Statute Counterfeiting is a close and covert act against the knowledge and privity of a Superior and lawful Power damnified by such Counterfeiting nor is every thing which is made to the mould by which 't is made a simply Counterfeiting The quality of the offence is discerned in the maner of the offending and the making a Law commonly relates to some preterite crime or fraud Now you will believe it is no where to be found upon Record whereon to ground a Law That a King and Parliament have at any time made use of any Great-Seal to cross or thwart each others Actings Many other Accusations of this kinde are charged on them * See the same Declaration pag. 27. as Disturbers of the Peace Authors and Fomentors of this they call Rebell on and what else Malice and Revenge can invent divulge to render Them and their Actions infamous But to return and shew the Royalist his next hopes of prevailing shadowed out even now By attempting to bring in any Forreign Force how wilde or barbarous soever they be how hard to get them out again out of this plentiful and flourishing Kingdom yeelding them all provisions all Habiliments of War to strengthen themselves in This as to provide for their next attempt elswhere after they have destroyed and harassed This not knowing how to distinguish between Presbyterian Independent and Royall Party and this to be driven on by him in an hazardous and uncertain way out of revenge and thirst to regain unto himself his power again long since forfeited through his mistaken Loyalty certainly through his disaffection to his Native Brethren of the same Kingdom or without considering which wise men should that a small Forreign Force unless aided by a discontented Faction here at home will not do the work a great one will destroy and overrun them also which is easie and obvious to every vulgar capacity to foresee for what Forreigner can be thought of to invade this Kingdom whilest the Natives thereof are true unto at unity within themselves If it be objected That the Subjects of This taking up Arms to defend themselves will prove a leading case to the People in other States and Kingdoms to do the like T is answered The Government of This differs from all Forms of Government in other Nations This being no absolute but a limited and mixt Monarchy where the King is as a great a Bracton lib 4. Lawyer takes his Dimension Vniversis minor habet Superiores Deum Legem per quam factus est Rex Curiam scilicet Comites Barones c. The Laws Customs and Constitutions of This are distinct and different from all other Nations in the Christian world others being Free-States simply and absolutely Monarchies or Powers inforcing and conforming all under them to slavery and vassaladge So that if a Forreigner shall attempt to invade This it cannot be deemed he doth it from a sense of a like suffering with the King or to asist Him rather to enrich himself to prey upon the wealth and opulencie of a fruitful and flourishing Kingdom Your last Objection That the Army's most noted b Mr. H. P. Preacher is as you have heard a disguised Jesuite Other the like Falshoods put upon him of late reported which few men besides the reporters do believe and scarsly they If these Objections prove untrue or easily answered the disgrace will recoyle and injure them who lay them on Sir if a man hath a minde to quarrel 't is easie to finde a staffe Your Eminencie and Credit in your Country let in two Inconveniencies A danger to be tempted by the opposite Party to comply and fall in with them when mean and weak men are let alone The other that it will fare with you in your Defection as spots and soiles in fine cloth the finer the cloth the easilier the soiling is discerned in ordinary and course Cloths it is not so No question there are those in several parts of our Neighboring Counties who may instill into your Ears a likelyhood of the King's Party's prevailing upon their prevailing the Dangers whereunto you and the rest of His Enemies are subject also the weakness the often failings the inique or unfit Proceedings of the Parliament in prefering for the present Persons of a lower Degree then ordinary to Places and Offices of Trust when as They were forced thereunto in that men of an higher rank discontented that their side cannot prevaile refuse to bear such Offices In their Fining and Punishing the King's Party for Delinquency although not in so high and severe a way as the King's Party would have Punished Them in case they had prevailed In continuing Taxes and Impositions upon their fellow Subjects for the maintenance of their Power and Army Their Enemies not weighing the exigence and necessities which the Parliament is forced unto but moved by their own prejudice and spleen against the Proceedings of that Court and resolvedly engaged for the King to make such men as you to be of their Party