Sword in the other in which the Lords and Commons do IN THE PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD profess That if his Majesty will forthwith return to his Parliament c. they will receive him with all Honour yield him all due Subjection and Obedience and faithfully endeavour to secure his Person and Estate from all Danger and do the utmost of their Power to procure and establish to himself and his People all the Blessings of a glorious and happy Reign WE DID THEN VERILY BELIEVE AND YET DO that these were the sincere and cordial Intentions of the Lords and Commons and altho the King was so unhappy as to reject that Petition yet they persisted still in the same Loyalty of Intentions and Affections towards him as appears in their many Messages to himself and Declarations to the Kingdom Upon these Grounds we engaged in this CAVSE being called to it by a lawful Authority The TWO HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT BEING THE ORDINANCE OF GOD VNTO THIS NATION FOR THE PREVENTING OF TYRANNY AND THE REGVLATING OF THE EXORBITANCIES OF REGAL POWER and being convinced in our Judgments both of the Equity and Necessity of THE PARLIAMENT'S DEFENSIVE ARMS c. WE APPEAL TO GOD the Searcher of all Hearts to whom we must give an Account of all our Ways THAT THESE WERE THE GROVNDS OF OVR FIRST ENGAGEMENT Now Sir to look back to your Defence of the King I find you frequently glorying in his Majesty's oft-repeated Gracious Messages Offers Proposals and Condescentions for Peace and in relation to the Deportment of the Parliament you thus express your poor Judgment I cannot but perswade my self Pag. 17. they were resolved to continue the War and engross all into their own hands let what would become of the King But yet that they might pacify the Minds of a great number of the Nation who groaned under the Miseries of the War and began to see too much of a private Spirit under publick Pretences they consent to a Treaty at Uxbridg they did so and you declare that two Heads were agreed to be there debated viz. 1. Of Religion and Church Government 2. Of the Militia Now in reading the History of that Treaty I find that a third great thing was agreed to be also debated viz. The business of Ireland but that being a Point which you care not to touch I must not allow you to hide it To discourse a little about this Treaty notwithstanding the King for his Credit-sake and to satisfy his own Party weary of War yielded to a Treaty I cannot perswade my self but he was resolved to continue the War and if you appear not a Man of resolved Prejudices or else of profound and stupid Ignorance I do half think that I may bring you over to my Opinion in this matter For to let you see what disposed him to hearken to this Treaty take his own words in his Letter to the Queen in December 1644. I shall shew thee upon what Grounds I came to a Treaty to the end thou mayst the better understand and APPROVE of my Ways Then know as A CERTAIN TRVTH that all EVEN MY PARTY are strongly impatient for Peace which obliged me so much the more at all occasions to shew my real Intentions to Peace NO DANGER OF DEATH SHALL MAKE ME DO ANY THING VNWORTHY OF THY LOVE At the very instant of this Treaty which was had in February 1644 the King used all imaginable means to bring not only FOREIGN FORCES but the Irish CUT-THROATS against the Parliament to clear up this Point and also to evince how insincere he was in his pretended Intentions of Peace I will briefly present to your view his under-hand Transactions as well with Foreign Princes as those Rebels and in the first place I shall mind you of some Passages between Him and the Queen in relation to this and other Treaties In a Letter to her of January 9 1644 he writes thus The Scots Commissioners have sent to me to send a Commission to their General Assembly WHICH I AM RESOLVED NOT TO DO but to the end of making some use of this occasion by sending an honest Man to London and that I may have the more time for the making A HANDSOME NEGATIVE I have demanded a Passport for Phil. Warwick by whom to return my Answer At another time in the same Month he tells her that as for my my calling those at London * He had agreed to treat with them as a Parliament the Queen upbraided him for so doing and he thus vindicates himself A PARLIAMENT IF THERE HAD BEEN BUT TWO OF MY OPINION I had not done it THE CALLING DID NO WAYS ACKNOWLEDG THEM TO BE A PARLIAMENT upon which Condition and Construction I did it and accordingly it is registred in the Council-Books Nothing is more evident than that the King was steered by the Queen's Counsel in the Management of this Uxbridg Treaty and that which you call the Church of England THE BISHOPS was greatly her Care By Letter in January 1644 before the beginning of that Treaty She instructs him not to abandon those who have served him lest they for sake him in his need that SHE hopes he will have a care of her and HER RELIGION That in her Majesty's Opinion RELIGION SHOULD BE THE LAST THING UPON WHICH HE SHOULD TREAT for if he do agree upon Strictness against the Catholicks it would discourage them to serve him and if afterwards there should be no Peace he could never expect Succours either FROM IRELAND or any other CATHOLICK PRINCE In another of her Letters we find her writing thus Jan. 17 1644. It comforts me much to see the Treaty shall be at Uxbridg I RECEIVED YESTERDAY LETTERS FROM THE DUKE OF LORRAIN WHO SENDS ME WORD IF HIS SERVICE BE AGREEABLE TO YOU HE WILL BRING YOU 10000 MEN ABOVE ALL have a care not to ABANDON those who have served you AS WELL THE BISHOPS AS THE POOR CATHOLICKS By the King's Letters to the Queen in February when the Treaty at Vxbridg was depending he stiles the Parliament UNREASONBLE STUBBORN PERFIDIOUS REBELS presses her to hasten all possible Assistance to him particularly that of the Duke of Lorrain He tells her that the limited days for treating are now almost expired without the least Agreement upon any one Article wherefore I have sent for enlargement of Days THAT THE WHOLE TREATY MAY BE LAID OPEN TO THE WORLD and I ASSURE THEE THOU NEEDEST NOT DOUBT THE ISSUE OF THIS TREATY for MY COMMISSIONERS ARE SO WELL CHOSEN tho I say it that they will neither be threatned nor disputed from the Grounds I have given them which upon my word IS ACCORDING TO THE LITTLE NOTE THOU SO WELL REMEMBERS Be confident that in making Peace I shall ever shew my CONSTANCY IN ADHERING TO BISHOPS AND ALL OUR FRIENDS and not forget to put a short Period to this perpetual Parliament We find him in another Letter dated the 5th of March expressing himself in these
could intend no other than such a one as France is now plagued with it may signify King in that Language In our plain English 't is downright Tyrant When it was urged that his requiring SHIP-MONEY was unprecedented His haughty Answer was That Precedents were not wanting for the Punishment of those that disobey the King's Commands and that State-Occasions were not to be guided by ordinary Precedents Those that refused to subscribe to the Loan were put out of the Commissions of the Lieutenancy and the Peace and also imprisoned and the Refusers of the meaner Rank were bound to appear and be enrolled for Souldiers to be sent for Denmark or were impressed to serve in the King's Ships Here now is a ready way not only for the raising of Money but also an Army for Flanders and Sailers for our Fleet. But all your Rhetorick Reverend Sir will not work upon their Majesties to imitate your good and great Man in these things neither 5. YOUR MARTYR suspended Dr. ABBOT Archbishop of Canterbury who was a Man that wholly followed the true Interest of England and that of the Reformed Churches in Europe so far as that in his time the CLERGY was not much envied here in England nor the Government of Episcopacy much disfavoured by Protestants beyond the Seas I say HE SUSPENDED this Excellent Person and also CONFINED him because to use his own words HE REFUSED TO MAKE THAT GOOD BY Divinity WHICH THE King HAD DONE AGAINST THE LAWS HE also thrust Dr. WILLIAMS Bishop of Lincoln from the place of Lord Keeper and his Presence and the Council-Table for appearing in Parliament against the Kingdom 's great Grievance the Duke of Buckingham and afterwards he imprisoned him in the Tower for speaking against the Loan for refusing to allow Proceedings against Puritans and prophesying that the Puritans would carry all at last I doubt Doctor that should the King and Queen imitate their Grandfather in these Practices you would find your self AS IT WERE overwhelm'd with Sorrow and that such Actions would swell your Grief above its usual Banks if not stir your Indignation 6. THE TYRANT resolving to subvert the Liberties and Estates of the Subjects to his Will and Pleasure removed that grave and learned Judg Sir Randolph Crew from the place of Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench because he had declared himself against the Loan and would not serve his turn in declaring that the King might legally imprison Men durante beneplacito My Life for yours Doctor their present Majesties will never follow this Example of your PATTERN FOR PRINCES 7. HE upon the 30th of JANVARY of all the days in the Year 1627 sent a Privy-Seal to the Treasury for the remitting 30000 l. into Holland to Burlemark a Merchant to be employed for levying Horse and Men to be brought into England to support his Tyranny And can you think their Majesties will ever write after this Copy 8. HE had no sooner passed the PETITION OF RIGHT into a Law than he was found to violate it by billeting of Souldiers and levying the Subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage which determined by his Father's Death and were never payable to any his Ancestors but only by special Act of Parliament And what Opinion have you of King William and Queen Mary in reference as this Point my good Doctor 9. HE kept the Earl of Bristol under Confinement near two Years without being charged with any Accusation or brought to Trial And HE committed the Earl of Arundel to the Tower in the time of Parliament without expressing any Cause of his Commitment in Violation of the Priviledges of the Peers Ple warrant you Sir you 'l never find their present Majesties at this Work 10. HE upheld and shelter'd the Grand Enemies of the Common-wealth When the Duke of Buckingham was prosecuted in Parliament as the principal Patron and Supporter of a Popish Faction set on Foot to the danger of the CHURCH and STATE THE KING interposed to rescue him When the Commons impeach'd him and by one of their Articles charg'd him in effect WITH THE MURDER OF KING JAMES THE KING told the House of Lords That to aprove Buckingham's Innocence HE could be a Witness to clear him in every one of the Articles HE told the House of Commons That he would not allow any of his Servants to be questioned amongst them much less such as were near him That he saw they aimed at the Duke but assured them he had not intermedied nor done any thing concerning the Publick but by his special Directions He added That he wondred at the FOOLISH IMPUDENCE of any Man to think that he should be drawn to offer such a Sacrifice HE dissolved three Parliaments when they were intent upon the prosecution of the Duke We are still at a loss good Doctor this will not pass with our King and Queen we shall never hear them speak or act at this rate 11. HE imprisoned several Members of the House of Commons during the Parliament for refusing to answer out of Parliament what was said and done in Parliament HE imprisoned others for managing a Conference with the Lords upon their impeaching the Duke HE in the time of Parliament sent Warrants for sealing up the Studies of other Members and he caused the imprisoned Members to be shifted and toss'd from Goal to Goal to deprive them by that wicked Artifice of the Fruit of their Habeas Corpus and of the Benefit of Free-born Subjects for the obtaining their Liberty thus were they long detained in Prison The brave Sir John Eâ—ios ended his days in the Tower not without suspicion of foul play I am sure Sir you will not recommend these vertuous Practices to the imitation of their Majesties 12. HE struck at the very Being of Parliaments he sent a threatning Message to the Commons that if he had not a timely Supply he would betake himself to NEW COUNSELS At another time he said to the Lords and Commons REMEMBER THAT PARLIAMENTS ARE ALTOGETHER IN MY POWER THEREFORE as I find the Fruits of them Good or Evil THEY ARE TO CONTINVE OR NOT TO BE. HE told the Parliment the 17th of March 1627 That if they should not contribute what the State needed he must use OTHER MEANS And his Lord Keeper added That if the King found the Readiness of their Supplies be might the better forbear the use of his Prerogative That the King those that way of Parliament not as the only way but as firtest not as destitute of others but AS MOST AGREE ABLE TO HIS DISPOSITIon You will readily agree with me dear Sir that King William hath not learn'd this way of speaking to Parliaments I have now Reverend Sir briefly run over my former Letter and thence presented you with a Bone to pick indeed a dozen as luck will have it and I could have doubled the number but for the present I conclude these may stay your Stomach this being a Fasting-Day I must now tell you
that you are certain that from the beginning of the Long Parliament Novemb. 4. to the day of his Death he did every thing ALMOST that deserved a better Reception than it met withal and made such various Offers and Condescontions as would have pleased any sort of Men but those who were resolved to be Masters of his whole Crown and Dignity c. 'T is something unhappy good Doctor when you seem to speak with assurance that you dare not adventure to do it without a Reserve your ALMOST in this place abates much of the Glory of this Paragraph He did every thing ALMOST he made Offers and Condescentions what those were I suppose you intend to inform me by and by when I see them we will talk about them and then should it be found that they were such as were not satisfactory to the Lords and Commons in that great Parliament you will deserve to be TOPHAMIZ'D for slandering the Representative Body of the English Nation and truly I think you merit something beyond that Punishment for saying that their most Excellent Majesties King William and Queen Mary do daily imitate the Vertues and Graces of a King who yâ—â—â—gree might have committed some Mistakes in his Government in his first sixteen Year's Reign and yet did every thing with an unlucky ALMOST to redress such things as his Male-Administration had put out of order SO FAR AS HE COVLD BE SATISFIED THEY WERE OVT OF ORDER For to the eternal Honour of their present Majesties and to the unspeakable Comfort of all good Englishmen we see them daily acquiescing in the Wisdom of their great Council and redressing not only ALMOST but ALTOGETHER the Disorders and Grievances of two or three unhappy Reigns In the next place you affirm That when the Parliament sat down in 1640 the King purposed and resolved to consent to every thing they could offer which might be really for the good of his Kingdom You are Sir too general herein for my Conversation you talk as tho you had been one of his Privy-Council or at least a Chaplain to Archbishop Land I cannot say what his Purposes or Resolutions were but when we come to Particulars shall endeavour to weigh them by his Actions Pursuant to what he purposed and resolved Pag. 5. say you he tells them frankly in his first Speech that he was resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the Love and Affection of his ENGLISH SVBJECTS and withal promises them to concur so heartily with them that all the World may see that his Intentions HAVE EVER BEEN and shall be to make THIS a glorious Kingdom Having said this you are running on Doctor but with too much speed for me you instantly add I think c. Well so you may and I intend to hear what that is anon for now and not till now you have cut me out Work and I must intreat you to pause a little and hear what I observe upon what you but now declared He told them he resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the LOVE AND AFFECTION of his ENGLISH SVBJECTS Can this be true Doctor Did he in earnest say so Why he was born at Dumferling how then can you represent him abdicating his Ancient Kingdom and renouncing the Love and Affection of the Scotish Nation Seeing you are silent in this matter I must it seems take the pains to examine it and I promise to supply your Omission with Impartiality and all imaginable regard to Truth And in doing it shall shew with what brevity I can not only the reason why your Martyr did at this Juncture caress and cajole an English Parliament but how our Nation became so happy as to see one assembled when our Fathers had almost forgot the Name of a Parliament The Story is this The Reformation of England had never abrogated nor scarce shaken the Prelatical Dignity in any Parliament but in Scotland it was quite rooted out by Law that Church having been ever much addicted to the Reformation of Geneva By degrees it was restored by the extraordinary Interposition of the Power of King James the first yet not without many Difficulties not without great Reluctancy of the Nobility Gentry and most of the Ministers of that Nation They suffered a great Diminution of their Temporal Liberties by the Introduction of Episcopal Jurisdiction the Bishops using rigorous Proceedings against Gentlemen of Quality by Fines Imprisonments c. And the whole structure of Ecclesiastical Policy so long used in Scotland and established by so many Acts of Parliament was at one blow thrown down their Consistories Classes and Presbyteries were held in the nature of Conventicles and all Decision of Ecclesiastical Controversies confined to the Tribunal of a Bishop Dr. Hollingworth in his Tract called A Vindication of their Majesties Wisdom c. p. 9. saith that Laud was A VERY GOOD MAN the Book of Sports excepted for ought I know he meant this Scotch Book for it made Sport with a witness if he did not I am sure this deserved an Exception also I am sensible of the Doctor 's Infirmities that he is addicted to rash and inconsiderate Railing therefore tho I will not humour him in reciting the Authority which I have for this black Story of his otherways very good Man because I have in his Works no more than his bare word for what he asserts my good Nature prompts me to advise him not to give me the Lie in this matter for I know those who have been at Rome and I can produce a most reputable Member of the Church of England for what I here charge upon that very ill Man Laud. After this friendly Caution the Doctor may deny it if he dares That fierce cruel insolent and Popishly-affected Archbishop Laud was the main Instrument in this fatal Work He in the Year 1637 composed a Common-Prayer Book for Scotland and desiring to demonstrate his great Affection to the Court of Rome sent it thither to be approved by the Pope and Cardinals they returned it with Thanks for his Respect to them but sent him word that they thought it not fit for Scotland The GOOD MAN thereupon further to ingratiate himself with his ELDER BROTHER alter'd some things in it and made it more harsh and unreasonable and then instigated the King to send it to the Scots with an express Command to have it read in their Churches It varied from the English Common-Prayer Book but the Alterations were for the worse especially in the Lord's-Supper it was expresly commanded that the Altar so called should be situate to the Eastern Wall together with many Postures of the Minister whilst he officiated And in the consecrating Prayer those words which in the English Liturgy are directly against Transubstantiation were quite left out in that Book and instead of them such other words as in plain sense agreed with the Roman Mass-Book viz. Hear us O most merciful Father and of thy Omnipotent Goodness grant so to
bless and sanctify by thy Word and Spirit these Creatures of Bread and Wine that they may be to us THE BODY AND BLOOD of thy beloved Son In a word the Scots affirmed that all the material Parts of the Mass-Book were seminally in this and they could not relish it that Laud and his Set of English Bishops should urge them to a Liturgy more Popish than their own and observed that for Vnity they were content to meet Rome rather than Scotland The Book being read by a Bishop in the City of Edinburgh the People expressed great detestation thereof and the Bishop who read it had probably been slain coming out of the Church had not a Noble-man rescued him The Nobility Gentry and Ministers petitioned against it The King threatned to prosecute them as Rebels and commanded the Council to receive no more Petitions Thereupon several of the Nobility in the Name of the Petitioners made a Protestation that the Service-Book was full of Superstition and Idolatry and ought not to be obtruded upon them without consent of a National Synod which in such Cases should judg That it was unjust to deny them Liberty to accuse the Bishops being guilty of High Crimes of which till they were cleared they did reject them as Judges or Governours of them They justified their own Meetings and subscribing to Petitions as being to defend the Glory of God the King's Honour and Liberties of the Realm The Scots concluded to renew the COVENANT which had been made and sealed under King James 's Hand in the Year 1580 afterwards confirmed by all the Estates of the Kingdom and Decree of the National Synod in 1581 THIS COVENANT was for the Defence of the PVRITY OF RELIGION and the King's Person and Rights against the Church of Rome This was begun in February 1638 and was so fast subscribed throughout the Kingdom that before the end of April he was scarce accounted one of the Reformed Religion that had not subscribed the Covenant The Non Covenanters were Papists not exceeding 600 in number throughout the Kingdom Statesmen in Office and Favour at that time and some few Protestants who were affected to the Ceremonies of England and Book of Common Prayer The King sent the Marquess of Hamilton to deal with the Scots to renounce their Covenant but they affirmed It could not be done without manifest Perjury and Profanation of God's Name and insisted to have the Service-Book utterly abolished it being obtruded against all Law upon them That their Meetings were lawful and such as they would not forsake until the Purity of Religion and Peace might be fully settled by a free and National Synod And they declared THAT THE POWER OF CALLING A SYNOD IN CASE THE PRINCE BE AN ENEMY TO THE TRVTH OR NEGLIGENT IN PROMOTING THE CHVRCHES GOOD IS IN THE CHVRCH IT SELF And that the State of the Church at that time necessitated such a course The King at length fearing lest the Covenanters if he delayed would do it themselves called a National Synod to begin at Glasgow the 21st of November 1638 but within seven days it was dissolved by the Marquess of Hamilton in the King's Name and they commanded to sit no more But they protested against that Dissolution and continued the Synod when the Marquess of Hamilton was gone and deposed all the Bishops condemned the Liturgy took away the High-Commission Court and whatsoever had crept into the Church since the Year 1580 when the NATIONAL COVENANT was first established When they themselves broke up the Synod they wrote a Letter of Thanks to the King and published a Declaration Feb. 4. 1638 directed to all the sincere and good Christians in England to vindicate their Actions and Intentions from those Aspersions which Enemies might throw upon them This Declaration was welcome to the People of England in general and especially to those who stood best affected to the Reformed Religion and the Laws and Liberties of their Country In fine the Scots are declared Rebels and the King in Person with an English Army resolved to chastise them But The generality of the Nation detested the War knowing that the Scots were innocent and wronged by the same Hand that they were oppressed and they concluded that the same Sword which subdued the Scots must destroy their own Liberties Yet glad they seem'd to be that such an Occasion happen'd which might in reason necessitate the King to call an English Parliament but whilst he could make any other shift how low and dishonourable soever he would not endure to think of a Parliament He borrowed great Sums of Money of the Nobility and required Loans of others and the CLERGY contributed liberally to this VVar which was called BELLVM EPISCOPALE THE BISHOPS WAR The King being animated to the War by the Bishops both of England and Scotland the last perswading him that the COVENANTERS were in no sort able to resist him that scarce any English Army at all would be needful to fight but only to appear and his MAJESTY would find a Party great enough in SCOTLAND to do the VVork He thereupon raised a gallant Army which rendezvouzed at York The Scots likewise to render the King unwilling or unable to be a Tyrant levied a brave Army which advanced forward under the Command of General Lesley They nevertheless continued their first course of Petitioning the King which being favoured by almost all the Nobility of England at last by the happy Mediation of those Wife and Noble Counsellors a PACIFICATION to the great Joy of all good Men was solemnly concluded on the 18th of June 1639 and the King granted them a free National Synod to be holden August 6 and a Parliament to begin the 20th to ratify what the Synod should decree Hereupon the English and Scots returned home praising God who without any effusion of Blood had compounded this Difference and prevented a War so wickedly design'd But Shortly after the King's return to London his Heart was again estranged from the Scots and thoughts of Peace and he commanded the PACIFICATION to be burnt by the Hands of the common Hangman An Act than which nothing could more blemish his Reputation as rendring him not to be believed for any thing For what Tie would hold him when the Engagement of his Word his Royal VVord given in sight of God and Man could not bind And having upon the 18th of December broke up the Scotch Parliament he began to prepare for a new VVar. The Scots complained that it was a Breach of their Liberties not heard of before in twenty Ages That a Parliament should be dissolved without their Consent whilst Business of Moment was depending That whatsoever Kings in other Kingdoms might do it concerned not them to enquire but it was absolutely against their Laws They hereupon sent four Earls as their Commissioners to the King to complain that nothing was performed which he had promised at the PACIFICATION and to intreat redress of those Injuries which had
been offered them since the Pacification But to add to the Grievances of that oppressed Nation the King committed two of their Commissioners to Prison In April 1640 the King called a Parliament in England not to seek Counsel and Advice of them but to draw Countenance and Supply from them resolving either to make the Parliament pliant to his Will and to establish Mischief by a Law or else to break it The Scots wrote a Justification of their Proceedings to this Parliament and advised them to be wary in vindicating their own Laws and Liberties this Parliament being procured to no other End but to arm the King against his Scotish Subjects and by that VVar to enslave both the Nations That after so many Violations and Dissolutions of Parliaments in England this was not called to redress Grievances but to be so over-reach'd if they were not careful that no possibility should be left for the future of redressing any That some dangerous Practice might be well suspected when at the same time a Parliament was denied to Scotland tho promised by the WORD OF A KING granted to England when not expected and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired The Parliament met the 13th of April when the King required a Supply to carry on his VVar against the Scots with a Promise that he would afterwards redress the Kingdom 's Grievances To which it was answered by many That redress of Grievances was the chief End of assembling Parliaments and ought to precede granting of Subsidies That the People had no reason to pay for that which they neither caused nor desired and which could not prove to their Good but quite contrary to the great detriment of the whole Kingdom That they would more willingly pay to prevent that unhappy VVar That the VVar would make the Breach wider and the Remedy desperate That THE BEST JVSTICE VVOVLD BE TO FILL VP THE PITS VVHICH VVERE MADE TO INTRAP OTHERS VVITH THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT DIGGED THEM Upon the 5th of May the King to the great grief of both Kingdoms * Upon the News of the Dissolution of this Parliament Cardinal Barberini intituled The Protector of England though he greatly affected Arch-Bishop Laud declared That he feared he would cause some great Disturbance in England and that certainly for his sake and by his means the King had dissolved this Parliament which he feared Scotland and most part of England would take very ill dissolved this Parliament finding them no way disposed to countenance the War But he PROTESTED HE WOULD GOVERN ACCORDING TO LAW as if the Parliament were constantly sitting And yet the very next day to the extream Grief of the People he was seen to break his Word for he commanded the Lord BROOKS Study and Pockets to be searched and Mr. Bellasis Father of the present Earl of Fanomberg Sir John Hâ—â—haâ— and Mr. Crew Members of the House of Commons were imprisoned And the King published a false and scandalous Declaration against the Commons He then betook himself to other Courses to carry on this VVar The CLERGY contributed freely to it and Collections were made among the PAPISTS Great Loans were attempted to be drawn from the City and for not complying therein Sir Nicholas Rainton Sir Stephan Soumâ— and other eminent Citizens were imprisoned Nay he went further and had it under consideration to â—oin 400000 l. of BRASS MONEY A Precedent for what the late King James did in Ireland The Scots taking Alarm at the Breach of the English Parliament and at the King's Preparations and finding themselves bereaved of all possibility of satisfying him by any naked Supplication they provided for their own Safety and resolved to enter England with a Sword in one hand and a Petition in the other The King marches his Army Northwards but the Common Souldiers were found sensible of Publick Interest and Religion though many Commanders and Gentleman seemed not to be so They declared their aversion to the War and questioned whether their Captains were not Papists Upon the 28th of August 1640 the Scots marching towards Nowcastle the English Army encamped to intercept their Passage but many of the Souldiers not liking the Cause forsook their Commanders However the Horse engaged the Scots but received a Repulse some on both sides being slain and Colonel VVilmot with Sir John Digby and Oniale both Captains of Horse and PAPISTS were made Prisoners Hereupon the Scots became Masters of Newcastle and Durham The King by Proclamation summoned all the English Nobility with their Followers and Foroes to attend his Standard at York upon the 20th of September against the Scots But about twenty Peers considering the great Calamity into which the King 's rash Proceedings had thrown the Kingdom framed and sent his Majesty an humble Letter representing the Mischiefs attending his wicked War the Rapines committed by his Army wherein Papists were armed though the Laws permit them not to have Arms in their Houses c. and they humbly entreated him to summon a Parliament The King thereupon summoned all the Lords to appear at York upon the 24th of September and then declared to them that OF HIS OWN FREE ACCORD he had determined to call a Parliament and sixteen Lords were agreed upon to treat with the like number of the Scots and at length a Cessation of Arms till the 16th of December was agreed upon and that during that time the Scots should be paid 850 l. a day and they allowed Winter-quarters in England Both Nations hereupon rested in assured Confidence that the Parliament would put a Period to this War which could never have been begun but for want of a Parliament They were also confident that the Freedom which the Fundamental Laws allow to Parliaments could not be denied to this to which the King WAS NECESSITATED and upon which THE PEOPLE had set their utmost Hope whom it seemed not safe after so many and often repeated Oppressions to provoke any further So much for the Scotish Affairs Now it may be thought that I have too long digressed therefore to return to you Reverend Doctor Hollingworth We will try what Inferences may be raised from this Melancholy History to render it useful to the English Reader I have declared that King Charles the First was an insufferable Tyrant you affirm him to have set a Pattern for the best of future Princes and that King William and Queen Mary are daily imitating him And the last thing you said was That when the Parliament met in November 1640 He frankly told them that he was resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the LOVE AND AFFECTION OF HIS ENGLISH SUBJECTS Now I have been taking a great deal of pains to set this Matter in its true Light and to shew whence this sudden Fit of Love to our Nation with an exclusion of Scotland arose And with your leave Sir here are two or three Vses of Information or Instruction from what hath been said 1. That this Declaration of
your Martyr's that he would put himself on the Love and Affection of his English Subjects was to draw them in to support him in his wicked War against the Scotish Nation whom at the same time he called Rebels and urged their Expulsion tho he was under an Agreement for a Cessation of Arms and to allow them 850 l. per diem and Quarters in England till their Complaints might be weighed in this Parliament 2. Information That he appeared an exorbitant and outragious Tyrant in his Attempts upon that People This appears in many Particular to recount some of them briefly 1. In overturning their Church-Government established by many Acts of Parliament and obtruding upon them Laud's Liturgy and Popish Ceremonies 2. In denying them the undoubted Right of all Subjects to petition for Redress of their Grievances 3. In dissolving their Synod and Parliament burning the Pacification made with them by the Hangman's Hands and imprisoning the Lords sent by them to petition him to perform his solemn Promises and redress their Grievances 4. In levying Armies against them and raising a Civil War to justify himself in the violation of their Laws A CIVIL WAR it was said the great Lord Digby seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King And 5. In the very thing for which you Doctor are now magnifying him I mean in attempting to make use of the Love and Affection of the English to enslave and ruin the Scotish Nation 3. Information That the Scotish Covenant was not a new Invention or Innovation but established by the Law of Scotland and taken by King James the First seventy Years before King Charles the Second took it 4. Information That Bishops and Clergy-men in Conjunction with Papists abetted and assisted this Tyrant in the Violation of the Laws when the bulk of the Nobility Gentry and People of England appeared undauntedly in defence of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom 5. Information That Popery hath greatly spread in Scotland over since Land 's Superstition was introduced there their number then not exceeding 600 and therefore Presbytery being now restored there by Law it may be reasonably hoped that it will reduce many who have been deluded into that Idolatry 6. Information That PRINCES ARE NOT ALWAYS TO TRUST TO THE Insinuations and Suggestions of Scotish Bishops seeing that when they instigated King Charles the First to dissolve the Synod and Parliament he was seduced by them into a Belief that the Scotish Covenanters were a contemptible number and that THEIR PARTY in Scotland was sufficient to deal with them 7. Information That the Scots were not Rebels in taking Arms to assert their Rights and vindicate the Laws and Liberties of their Country For my Noble Lord Russel the Honour of our Age was most undoubtedly in the right when the day before his Murder he wrote in his Paper left behind him the following words I cannot deny but that I have been of Opinion that a free Nation like this might defend their Religion and Liberties when invaded and taken from them the under pretence and colour of Law I do â—â—firm this was his Orthodox Opinion and these the words he wrote tho they were left out of the Print and in that day there might be reason to omit them But to bethink my self Reverend Sir and to return to what we were upon I lest you thinking at our last parting I will now hear what your Head run upon I think say you he that rends the first half Year's Transactions betwixt King Charles and this Parliament Pag. 5. will find he made his Word good to a tittle for whatsoever they offered to him by way of Bill which the Nation groaned under before as a real nay but as a fancied Burden he PRESENTLY posses it To shew that Against Experience you believe And argue against Demonstration Pleas'd that you can your self deceive And set your Judgment by your Passion We must have a little Chat about this half Year which has exercised your Thoughts and I shall shew you the Reasons wherefore I dissent from your Opinion That your Martyr READILY PASSED whatsoever Bills the Parliament affored for the Redress of the Nation 's Grievances Now a cannot remember one Instance in the whole History of his Reign of a willing and ready Compliance with his People in any one Act of Grace or Justice Every thing of that kind in the whole course of his Life was wrested from him by the universal Outory of the Kingdom against his high Oppressions which did never avail but when the extremity of his Affairs wrought his stubborn Mind to a Compliance And most sure I am that you are mistaken in the sew Instances you bring You say That he PRESENTLY pass'd the Bills for putting down the Stan-Chamber and High-Commission-Coures But I affirm the contrary and do thus prove it The Parliament could never bring him to make a fair Bargain with them they bought every thing at a very dear rate and when they had come to his Price they were ever in danger of being wick'd They came to a Contract with him to yield up those two accursed Courts of Oppression and Tyranny and agreed to a POLL BILL wherein every Duke was assessed at 100 l. a Marquese at 80 l. Earls 60 l. Viscounts and Barons 40 l. Knights of the Bath and Baronets 30 l. nother Knights 20 l. Esquires 10 l. every Genduriam dispending 100 l. per Annum 5 l. and all others of Ability to pay a competent proportion and the meanest Head in the whole Kingdom was not excused I hear there is now a Poll-Bill on foot in this present Parliament and therefore from the high Affection and Duty which I hear and shall ever pay to those excellent Princes who do so happily fill their Grandfathers and Fathers Throne I do here remember my Country men at what rate and for what they were thus assessed in 1640. Then they were forc'd to buy off the Encroachments of a TYRANT who had sworn to maint ain their Laws and Liberties but now they at lower rates are only to enable the hest Princes that ever sway'd the English Scepter to vanquish the worst of Tyrants Well This Bargain was struck and the Parliament resolving very honestly to stand to it they prepared the Bills but finding the King begin to falter declaring that he would take their Money but would not at that time pass the Bills to put down the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts They voted that he should pass all the three Bills or none at all However Neither the Contract nor their Vote could hold him he trick'd them here and upon the 2d of July pass'd the Poll-Money Bill but demurred upon the other two The afterwards finding that the matter was very ill taken and that it was not seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time he passed the other two Bills And now hope that you are convinced that he did not so PRESENTLY pass Bills for Redrese
Inquisition and imprison'd in the Gatehouse Westminster In the Year 1636 Mr. Burton preached a Sermon upon the 5th of November at his Church in Friday-street London wherein he laid open the Innovations in Doctrine Worship and Ceremonies which had lately crept into the Church and wished the People to beware of them For this LAVD caused Articles to be drawn against him in the High-Commission Court and suspended him Then causing his House to be broken open took and committed him to the Fleet close Prisoner and he was shut up there divers Weeks from his Wife and Friends Upon the 11th of March 1636 they exhibited an Information against Dr. Bastwick Mr. Pryn and Mr. Burton in the Star-Chamber And upon the 14th of June 1637 they pass'd this Sentence on them viz. To lose their Ears in the Palace-yard Westminster To pay a Fine of 5000 l. a Man and be perpetually imprisoned in three remote Places of the Kingdom viz. the Castles of Carnarvan Cornwal and Lancaster and Mr. Pryn to be stigmatized in the Cheeks with two Letters S. and L. for a seditious Libeller Upon the 30th of June 1637 to the great regret of the People who strowed their way with Herbs these Confessors for the English Liberties were brought to the Place appointed for the Execution of the accursed Sentence which was done in a manner extraordinarily cruel Dr. Bastwick being upon the Pillory spoke thus to the lamenting People I wrote a Book against the Pope and the POPE OF CANTERBURY said I wrote against him So far am I from base Fear that had I as much Blood as would swell the Thames I would shed it every drop in this Cause Had I as many Lives as I have Hairs on my Head I would give them all for this Cause Being let out of the Pillory he took the Spunge from one of his Ears which was all bloody and waving it over his Head said Blessed be my God who hath counted me worthy and of his mighty Power hath enabled me to suffer any thing for his sake And as I have now lost some of my Blood so am I ready and willing to spill every drop in my Veins in this Cause for which I have now suffered which is for maintaining the Truth of God and the Honour of my King against Popish Vsurpations LET GOD BE GLORIFIED AND LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER These were not Expressions of a COMMON-WEALTH'S MAN or a Rebel Were they good Doctor Chaplain at Aldgate Mr. Pryn's turn being next he express'd himself thus We are accounted FACTIOVS FELLOWS Hereticks and REBELS for * Discoverers of Plots against the Protestant Religion and English Liberties have been ever used at the rate which Mr. Pryn was ever since Laud's Faction got up in the Church DICOVERING A PLOT OF POPERY Alas POOR ENGLAND What will become of thee and thy Religion if thou maintainest not thy own ESTABLISH'D FAITH you see Doctor Mr. Pryn was for the Church as establish'd by Law AND LAWFVL LIBERTIES Ay that spoils all for it renders him a Common-wealth's man no doubt yet 't is but such a one as the late King Charles the second frankly told the Duke of Buckingham he would have been had he not been a King Christian People proceeded Mr. Pryn I beseech you all stand firm and be zealous for the Cause of God and his true Religion to the shedding of your dearest Blood otherwise you will bring your selves and your Posterities INTO PERPETUAL BONDAGE AND SLAVERY c. The Executioner coming to â—ear and cut his Ears he said Come Friend Come burn me cut me I fear not I have learn'd to fear the Fire of Hell and not what Man can do unto me Come sâ—ar me sear me I shall bear in my Body the Marks of the Lord Jesus The Executioner having done his part and that with the utmost Cruelty Mr. Pryn with a smiling Countenance said Now blessed be God I have conquer'd and triumphed over the Bishop's Malice and returning to the Tower he made these Verses by the way S. L. STIGMATA LAUDIS Stigmata Maxillis referens insignia Laudis Exultans remeo victima grata Deo Triumphant I return My Face descries Laud's scorching Scars God's grateful Sacrifice Next follows Reverend Mr. Burton he being in the Pillory said I was never in such a Pulpit before but little do you know what Fruit God is able to produce from this dry Tree MARK MY WORDS I say through these Holes God can bring Light to his Church Moreover he said My Conscience in the discharge of my Ministerial Duty in admonishing my People to beware of the CREEPING IN OF POPERY and exhorting of them to stick close to God and the King in Duties of Obedience was that which first occasioned my Sufferings For the Truth I have preached I am ready to seal it with my Blood for this is my Crown both here and hereafter After this Execution done they were banished to the remote parts of the Kingdom and there kept several Years in close and solitary Confinement not allowed Pen Ink and Paper nor the sight of any Friend and in this most deplorable case did the Parliament in November 1640 find these three distressed Gentlemen of several Professions the noblest in the Kingdom Divinity Law and Physick but they were soon sent for from their Exile and brought into London by many thousands of rejoycing Gentlemen and Citizens who went out on Horseback to meet and congratulate their Deliverance And the Parliament taking their Case into Consideration voted THAT THE JUDGMENTS GIVEN against them were illegal unjust and against the LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT Now good Doctor was not here reason with a witness to open every Man's Mouth with Complaints against these most arbitrary and pernicious Courts and to induce the Parliament to remove these Forges of Misery Oppression and Violence Nevertheless the KING with a very unwilling Mind as I have shew'd yielded therein but as he lost much of the Thanks which so great a Grace freely and forwardly express'd might have deserved so I doubt it will be some diminution to your Credit dear Doctor that contrary to what you affirm HE DELAYED and did not presently comply in this matter Well! what follows now The King is still on the giving hand no doubt of it THE SHIP-MONEY you add tho great and very learned Lawyers had given their Opinion Pag. 5. that the exacting of it in some Cases was according to Law yet he GOOD MAN gives up that also Here good Doctor you speak like A MEER CLERGY-MAN and I begin to suspect that you never read any other than Dr. NALSON's HISTORY and are tainted with the Principles of those famous Gentlemen of the Cassock SIBTHORP and MANWARING who as well as some designing Lawyers told your Martyr That Authority of Parliament is not necessary for the raising Aids and Subsidies That all Antiquity is absolutely for absolute Obedience to Princes in all Civil and Temporal Things You make the
yielding up the Claim of Ship-Money to be an Act of pure Grace for very able Lawyers gave their Opinion that the King might exact it by Law and so I have told you did as able and no less knavish Divines But hearken I beseech you what the Wisdom of Parliament told him They declared it a new and unheard of Tax they voted it a most illegal Taxation and unsufferable Grievance they look'd into the Carriage of those Judges who advised the King in this matter and found that Sir JOHN FINCH a Gentleman of good Birth of an high and imperious Spirit ELOQUENT IN SPEECH tho in the knowledg of the Law not very deep in the Year 1636 when Ship-Money was first plotted and set on foot was made Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas and it appeared that by his Brokage and Sollicitation and that with Threats and Promises several of the Judges were wrought upon to give it under their hand that the King might by Law exact Ship-Money Thereupon an Impeachment of High Treason was drawn up against him and the great Lord FAVLKLAND tho an Admirer of the Church as you tell me presented it to the Lords with a very pithy and sharp Oration against Finch but he being at this time Lord-Keeper not daring to abide the Test took his Wings and fled in a disguise to Holland In Conclusion the Arbitrary Power pretended to be in the King of taxing the Subject without Consent in Parliament was not only declared to be against Law by the Judgment of both Houses but also by Act of Parliament Thus we rid our Hands of SHIP-MONEY And Now indeed Sir you come to that which might well raise your Choler and stir your Indignation The King passed a Bill to remove the Bishops out of the House of Lords he also passed a Bill for attainting the great Earl of Strafford which offered Violence to the Peace and Quiet of his Mind all the days of his Life To tell you the Truth Doctor the Parliament found the Bishops of that day to be the Troublers of the State and that it was by consequence become most necessary to abridg their immoderate Power usurped over the Clergy and other good Subjects which they had most maliciously abused to the hazard of Religion and great Prejudice and Oppression of the Laws of the Kingdom and just Liberty of the Subject They had cherish'd Formality and Superstition as the probable Supports of their own Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Vsurpation they had multiplied and enlarged the Differences between the common Protestants and those whom they called Puritans under which Name they included all those that desired to preserve the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and to maintain the true Protestant Religion They had been designing a Conjunction between Papists and Protestants in Doctrine Discipline and Ceremonies only it must not yet be called Popery They had triumphed in the Suspensions Excommunications Deprivations and Degradations of divers learned and pious Ministers in the Vexation and grievous Oppression of great numbers of the People whereby many thousands were impoverished and others were so afflicted and troubled by them that great numbers departed into New-England and other parts of America others into Holland The most of the Preaching that was allowed was degenerate into railing against Parliaments and Puritans because they were tenacious of just Liberty and true Religion crying up Absolute Authority Passive Obedience c. Streins of Wit fitter for a Stage than a Pulpit After the Dissolution of the Parliament in May 1640 They continued the Convocation and by unheard-of Presumption they made Canons contrary to the King's Prerogative to the Fundamental Laws of the Realm to the Right of Parliaments to the Property and Liberty of the Subject thereby establishing their own Vsurpations justifying their Altar-Worship and other Superstitious Innovations which they had formerly introduced without Warrant of Law they imposed a new Oath on the Subjects for maintenance of their own Tyranny and laid a great Tax upon the Clergy And now to sill up the measure of their Iniquity the House of Lords upon the 30th of December 1641 at a Conference with the Commons told them that the Bishops by a Protestation which they made to the King and Lords had deeply intrenched upon the Fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliament whereupon the Commons impeached twelve of them of High-Treason in endeavouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and the very Being of Parliaments and they were by the House of Peers sequestred from Parliament committed to the Tower and shortly after by Act of Parliament most deservedly deprived of voting in the House of Peers I hope good Doctor you will acquiesce in the Reasons which I have here offered for the passing this Bill of Exclusion but the other Bill for attainting the great Earl of Strafford you say offered Violence to the Peace and Quiet of the King's Mind all the days of his Life This great Man who had long run on in a full Career to establish Tyranny trampling down the Peoples Liberties leaping the Hedges of the Laws or making Gaps through them was impeached by the Commons in many Articles some whereof were for ruling Ireland or which he had been Lord-Lieutenant in an Arbitrary way against the Fundamental Laws which he had endeavoured to subvert For abusing his Power to the increase and encouragement of Papists for maliciously endeavouring to stir up Hostility between England and Scotland for labouring to subvert Parliaments and incense the King against them for levying Money by force of Arms for imposing an Oath upon the Subjects That they should not protest against any of the King's Commands for telling the King That he had an Army in Ireland which his Majesty might imploy to reduce this Kingdom to Obedience Upon this Impeachment the Earl was brought to Trial before the Lords which lasted from the 22d of March with but few days intermission till the midst of April After this long Trial the Commons voted him guilty of High-Treason in divers Particulars and drew up and passed a Bill of Attainder against him but 59 dissenting This Bill being carried to the Lords the King's Sollicitor General made it good by Law to the satisfaction of almost all that heard him The Judges also delivered their Opinions That the Matters proved against him amounted to Treason and so the Lords passed the Bill The King having after this called all the Judges to deliver their Opinions before him and also sent for FOUR BISHOPS TO RESOLVE HIM UPON SCRUPLE OF CONSCIENCE He at length gave the Royal Assent to this Bill Prithee now Doctor tell me what ail'd your Martyr's Conscience at this time There must be something extraordinary and not commonly taken notice of in this Matter that must as you affirm offer Violence to the Peace and Quiet of his Mind all the Days of his Life You know he exacted the Ship-Money without scruple of Conscience upon the Advice of some Lawyers And
principal Agent in carrying on their Intrigue of working upon the Army to engage them against the Parliament That THE KING sent Instructions under his Hand for a Petition to be presented from the Army In which was a Clause to this effect That whereas all Men ought to give God thanks for putting it into the King's Heart to condescend to the Desires of the Parliament to do many things which none of his Ancestors would have consented unto as giving way to the Triennial Parliament and granting many other things for the Good of his Subjects yet notwithstanding some turbudent Spirits seem'd not to be satisfied but WOVLD HAVE THE TOTAL SVBVERSION OF THE GOVERNMENT That therefore the Army being of good Comportment though ill Paid might be called up to attend the Person of the King and Parliament for their Security That the Design was that the Army should move towards London and spoil the Country all along as they went to hinder the Scots from following them That Oneal proposed to Sir Jacob Ashley the making the Scots Neutral but Sir Jacob said that they would lay him by the Heels if he should come to move such a thing for they would never break with the Parliament Upon this Discovery I must tell you Doctor the Hearts of honest Men were highly grieved to find the King in this Conspiracy and they began to despair of that Happiness which they had hoped for by this Parliament And the two Houses doubting as they well might the King 's sincere Affection to them and considering what great Disturbance they had and were like to meet with in settling the State and what great Disbursments of Money were to be made for payment of the English and Scotish Armies They unanimously moved the King to sign a Bill for continuance of this present Parliament That it should never be dissolved till both Houses did Consent and agree that Publick Grievances were fully Redress'd and his Plot made it unsafe for him to deny it Besides as his extream Wants had forc'd him to call this Parliament so the same necessitated him to comply with them For this great Parliament taught by woful experience that he used Parliaments but to serve his Turn and so when he had attained his Ends their End ensued in a sudden Dissolution would grant no Supply to relieve his Necessities until by his Concession they had obtained this Continuance to redress the Peoples many and great Grievances And they themselves declared That though there were in it some seeming Restraint of the Regal Power in dissolving Parliaments yet it was no taking that Power from the Crown but suspending the Execution of it for this Time and Occasion only Which was so necessary for the Publick Peace that without it they could not have undertaken any of those great Charges but must have left both the Armies to Disorder and Confusion and the whole Kingdom to Blood and Ruin For to pay the Armies Money was to be borrowed upon the Publick Faith which had been nothing worth if that Parliament could have been dissolved at the King's Pleasure And whereas Sir you express your self as astonished at this gracious Compliance and say that no King ever granted the like before I answer 'T was most evident that no King before ever made so great a Necessity for a Parliament to insist upon it And besides in the Constitution of ENGLAND 's GOVERNMENT it was never the meaning of the LAW-GIVERS that the King should dissolve Parliaments whilst the Great Affairs of the Kingdom were depending And though Kings have used to do so it was never the more lawful Well Doctor I agree with you that the King passed these Bills very advantagious for the Subject yet in none of them was he bereaved of any just necessary or profitable Prerogative of the Crown And I must tell you because you are silent and for ought I know ignorant in the Point All this was not done for nought for the King had out of the Subjects Purse in the first Year of this Parliament ONE MILLION AND AN HALF OF MONEY And yet some Men have the impudence to suggest That the Parliament did nothing for him To proceed What 's the next Article in the Impeachment against this Parliament Pag. 7 These Men to shew their Gratitude for what was done before drew up a Remonstrance wherein they made the most bitter Reflections upon the King 's former Government And which was so unmannerly as well as false that when it came to be debated in the whole House 't was carried only by eleven Voices You are out again most unlusky Doctor My Authentick Flistorian tells me a Tale quite contrary to yours The Remonstrance or Declaration of the State of the Kingdom was carried but by eight Voices saith he yet it contained plain which I will allow you to call Vnmannerly but must not yield to be false Truths reciting the chief Grievances and Oppressions which the Nation had groaned under since the beginning of this King's Reign until that time but with as much tendernefs of Expression and respect to his Person as so much Truth could possibly be uttered Many of the Members who opposed this Remonstrance were of the same Opinion with those who voted for it but urged that no Cure could be hoped for by it That instead of directing a stubborn King for the future it would teach him only to hate the Makers of it as Upbraiders of his Crimes And they held it fitter to win him by the sweeter way of concealing his Errors rather than by publishing them to hazard the provoking him And now Sir not to contend it with you whether the little Majority or great Minority were the best Politicians and most in the right you are certainly in the wrong when you insist that this Remonstrance was so strennously opposed bocause the Matter thereof was unmannerly and false You add Pag. 8. That the King fairly answered this Remonstrance and vindicated himself from those horrid Aspersions wherewith they loaded him Not to be transported Reverend Sir to such an indecency of replying as is usual in such a Case as this I barely tell you that you talk loosly and with no regard to Truth in what you now say for I have the Royal Answer and Vindication now under my Eye and do find that the King doth fairly answer the Remonstrance which sets forth the many Grievances and high Oppressions of the People in these only words We shall IN FEW WORDS PASS over that part of the Narrative wherein the Misfortunes of this Kingdom from our first entring to the Crown to the beginning of this Parliament are remembred in so sensible Expressions And to this he adds not one word in vindication of himself from those Miscarriages enumerated in the Parliament's Romonstrance which you call HORRID ASPERSIONS but his Majesty knew to be sad Truths What follows next The King you say through TVMVLTS Ibid. and too-much countenanced RIOTS withdrew from
Whitehall being under apprehensions of Affronts design'd to be offer'd to his Person if not something worse The Story of these pretended Tumults and Riots dear Doctor is so intermixt with another relating to the greatest Violation of the Privileges of Parliament that ever was committed that 't is most necessary to talk of both together About the beginning of January 1641 the King sought nothing more than to begin a Quarrel and to support himself therein he employed Emissaries to cajole the young Gentlemen of the Inns of Courts to make offer of their Service to him as a Guard of Defence and divers of them to ingratiate themselves repaired to the Court and were highly caressed by the King and Queen He at the same time ordered Canoneers and other Assistants into the Tower and removed the Lieutenant thereof He fortified White-hall with Men and Munition in an unusual manner And about the same time Colonel Lunsford and others gathered Troops of Horse at Kingston upon Thames where the Magazine of Arms for that part of the County of Surrey lay Matters on his part being thus prepared upon the third of January not only against the Priviledg of Parliament but the common Liberty of every Subject he commanded the Chambers Studies and Trunks of the Lord Mandeville a Member of the House of Lords Grandfather to the present Noble Earl of Manchester who inherits as well the Vertnes as Honours of that great Patriot and of Denzel Holles Esq since known by the name of the great Lord Holles Sir Arthur Hasterig Mr. J. Pym Mr. John Hambden Grandfather to that highly deserving Gentleman who at this day bears his Name and in whom his Vertues do live and flourish and Mr. William Strode Members of Parliament * These were all Gentlemen of great Esteem and Reputation in the House Two of them Mr. Holles and Mr. Strode having before suffered many Years of sharp and harsh Imprisonment from the King after the Dissolution of the Parliament in the fourth Year of his Reign for Matters done in Parliament contrary to the Priviledges of that high Court to be sealed up Upon the next day the King came with about 300 Souldiers Papists and others to the House of Commons armed with Swords Pistols and other Weapons and there demanded the said five Members to be delivered to him upon a pretended Charge of High-Treason His Followers at the same time thrusting away the Door-keepers and Attendants of the House held up their Swords and some their Pistols ready cock'd saying I am a good Marks-man I can hit right I warrant you Others of them said A Pox take the House of Commons a Pox of God confound them and violently assaulted and by Force disarmed some of the Servants of the Members and said WHEN COMES THE WORD and afterwards declared that questionless if the Word had been given they should have fallen upon the House of Commons and HAVE CUT ALL THEIR THROATS which Doings the Commons declared were A TRAITEROUS DESIGN against the King and Parliament and that they could not sit any longer without a sufficient * They petitioned the King to allow them a Guard to be commanded by the Lord Chamberlain of his Houshould but could not obtain it Guard wherein they might confide wherefore they adjourned to the Tuesday following having appinted a Committee to sit in the mean time at Guildhall London to consider of all things that might concern the Good and Safety of the Kingdom and the Relief of Ireland And I am to tell you Doctor that the great Lord Falkland was the fourth Person named to this great Committee The Commons further declared That they were so far from protecting any of their Members that should in a due manner be prosecuted according to the Laws of the Kingdom and the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament for Treason or any other Misdemeanours that none should be more ready and willing than themselves to bring them to a speedy and due Trial. And upon the 15th of January they ordered the Attonrny-General who had preferred the Articles of Treason against the Members to bring in his Proof and make them good if he could Whereupon the King sent a Message that HE NOW FOUND CAUSE wholly to dosist from proceeding against them and had commanded his Attourny-General to proceed no further therein nor to produce nor discover any Proof concerning the matter Also BOTH HOUSES petitioned the King for the speedy proceeding against the accused Members IN A LEGAL WAY whereby they might be brought to condign Punishment if guilty or discharged from so heavy an Accusation if innocent The King giving an evasive Answer to this Petition the Lords and Commons apply to him again by a second Petition praying that the Parliament might be informed before Friday then next ensuing what Proof there is against them that they may be called to a Legal Trial. A Petition of about two thousand Freeholders of Backinghamshirs was presented to the King setting forth that Mr. Hambden Knight of their Shire a Gentleman in high Esteem with them and the whole Kingdom was accused of Treason that they believed it to be the Malice which his Zeal to his Majesty's Service and the State had contracted in the Enemies to the King the Church and the Common-wealth had occasioned this foul Accusation and they prayed that he and the other Members might enjoy the Priviledg of Parliament The City of London also petitioned that the Lord Mandeville and the five Members might not be restrained of Liberty or proceeded against otherwise than according to the Priviledges of Parliament To which Petition the King answered that AS HE ONCE CONCEIVED he had ground enough to accuse them so now his Majesty finds as good Cause wholly to desert any Prosecution of them Do you hear this DOCTOR If you ever had till now you would not surely have assumed the Confidence to have said as you do Pa. 11 12. That nothing less would satisfy the Parliament than that he must be obliged AS IT WERE and IN EFFECT to beg the Members Pardon for wronging them with what he thought and COVLD BY GOOD EVIDENCE PROVE MATTER OF TRVTH Now I do AS IT WERE think that you ought not only IN EFFECT but in earnest to humble your self to the Descendents of these honourable and never to be forgotten PATRIOTS for the horrid Slander which you here lay on their great Names and Families For tho the King gave up the Cause saying that HE FOUND GOOD REASON wholly to desist from proceeding against them and at another time that he found GOOD CAVSE wholly to desert any Prosecution of them Yet you forsooth must keep up the wicked Clamour and falsly inform this Generation that his Majesty GOOD MAN had pregnant Evidence to prove them guilty of Treason But to put you to shame if possible 't is what you threatned me with Reverend Sir I shall add a few words more upon this occasion The Lords and Commons told the King
in a third Petition that notwithstanding his Majesty found good cause wholly to desert any further Prosecution of the accused Members yet they remained still under that heavy Charge so imputed unto them And that by two Acts of Parliament viz. 37 and 38 Edw. 3. it was enacted That if any Person whatsoever make Suggestion to THE KING HIMSELF of any Crime committed by another the same Person ought to be sent with the Suggestion before the Chancellor or Keeper of the Great Seal Treasurer or the great Countil there to find Surety to pursue his Suggestion which if he cannâ—t prove he is to be imprisoned till he satisfy the Party accused of his Damages and Slander and made Fine and Ransom to the King Wherefore the Lords and Commons beseeched the King that he would be pleased to send the Person or Persons that in this Case made the Suggestions or Informations to him against the said Members together with the Suggestions or Informations to the Parliament that so such Fruits of the said good Laws may be had as was intended by them and the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament may be vindicated WHICH OF RIGHT AND JVSTICE OVGHT NOT TO BE DENIED Notwithstanding this Petition no Authors nor Witnesses were ever produced to avow the heavy Charge and Accusation of the noble Lord Mandeville and the five Members till now that fifty Years are elapsed You unhappy Doctor are trumping up good Evidence though for want of just Matter which yet never came to light the King let the Business fall of his own accord And see now how neatly you have noos'd your self for by your idle Dedication to their Majesties you have made this false Suggestion TO THE KING HIMSELF and so are fallen into the Mercy of the noble Earl of Manchester and become liable to the severe Penalties in the Statutes of King Edward the Third To dispatch this Head Was it not a Crime against the Law of Nature against the Rules of Justice that innocent Men should be charged with so great an Offence as Treason in the Face of the highest Judicature in the Kingdom without Witness without any possibility of Reparation even in point of Innocency Such was the Case of these great Men for the King denied to discover their Accusers and yet would not pass a Bill for their Discharge unless in the Narration they would desert the avowing their own Innocency Nay was it not an Act of Tyranny beyond Parallel He accused them and yet would produce no Witness he confess'd them clear in his own Judgment yet they must not profess their own Innocency for fear of wounding his Honour We will proceed now Reverend Doctor to what remains to be said about the terrifying Tumults and Riots which frighted his Majesty from VVhitehall You said that he withdrew from thence through Tumults and too much countenanc'd Riots being under apprehension of Affronts design'd to be offer'd to his Person IF NOT SOMETHING WORSE When you return me an Answer to this Letter dear Sir you will infinitely oblige me if you will tell me in plain English what you intend by SOMETHING WORSE than that the Mob would affront his Majesty's Royal Person For according to my present Apprehension you seem to insinuate that HE ABDICATED WHITEHALL under a dread that these wicked Rioters would have forced his COMFORTABLE IMPORTANCE or perpretrated some Act so highly Villanous that you could not find a Name for it For the present till I have better Light herein I will lay before you my Thoughts in this Case In the doing whereof we must examine how things stood at that time whereby 't will be seen whether there were any such Tumules and if there were whether the King himself did not cause them He had tempted the ENGLISH ARMY with no less Reward than the Spoil of the City of LONDON to come up and destroy the PARLIAMENT He had in an unexcusable and hostile manner made a most high Invasion upon the Priviledges of BOTH HOVSES Hereupon many Citizens unarmed resorted to Westminster to present their Petitions and express their stedfastness to the Parliament whose Lives and Safeties by more than slight Rumours they doubted to be in Danger the King having fortified VVhitehall and entertained Armed Men not a few planted them at the * The first Blood that was drawn in this Cause was in that very place where the King 's own Blood was afterwards shed Gate of his Palace where they reviled menaced and with drawn Swords actually wounded many of the Citizens as they passed by in a peaceable manner whereof some died Nay they went farther and were come to that height of Boldness as to give out insolent and menacing Speeches against the Parliament it self and to imbrue their Hands in the Blood of the King's Subjects in VVestminster-Hall and at the Doors of the Parliament as well as at his own Gate And when the Parliament and People complained and demanded Justice for those Assaults 1 K. 21 19. he justifyed and abetted his own Crew in what they did Now the passing by of a multitude of the King's Subjects armed with no other VVeapons than Petitions could neither be justly called Tumults nor could the Parliament have forbid them without breach of the Peoples Freedom Vnarmed Petitioners surely could not be formidable to any And I must remember you Doctor that a very short time before his Majesty pretended to dread these tumultuary Citizens The City entertained feasted and conducted him to Whitehall with at pompous Solemnity and costly Expressions of Love and Duty as ever had been known Nay did he not the very next day after his irruption in the House of Commons than which nothing had more exasperated the People go in his Coach unguarded into the City Did he receive the least Affront much less Violence in any of the Streets but rather humble Demeanours and Supplications He knew the People so full of Awe and Reverence to his Person as to commit himself single amongst the thickest of them at a time when he had most provoked them This shews beyond doubting that all his fear of Tumults was but a meer Pretence and Occasion taken of his resolved absence from the Parliament that he might turn his Slashing at the Court-gate to Slaughtering in the Field Well The King retires first to Hampton-Court commanding his Servants who were Members of Parliament to leave their Service there and to give their Attendance upon his Person Shortly after the QVEEN passes into Holland carrying with her all or the greatest part of the Crown-Jewels which she immediately pawn'd and with the Money bought Arms and Ammunition for the VVar which was not yet begun But I had almost forgot my self Reverend Sir I must attend to what you say in the Case Pag. 8. 'T is this I see The King though withdrawn yet ceases not to call upon the Parliament to consider the Nation 's Good and the settling it upon such Foundations as neither the
us assurance that you have no thought but of Peace and Justice to your People must be some real Effect of your Goodness to them in granting those things which the present Necessity of the Kingdom do inforce us to desire And that you will be graciously pleased to put from you those mischievous Counsellors which have caused all these Dangers and Distractions and to continue your own Residence and the Princes near London and the Parliament which we hope will be a happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt your Majesty and your People and be followed with many succeeding Blessings of Honour and Greatness to your Majesty and of Security and Prosperity to them These are brief Heads good Doctor of the Declaration which you mention to be read to the King at Newmarket and you with very little regard to his Majesty's Honour do affirm that after the hearing this Declaration read he expostulated in these words What would you have Have I violated your Laws Pag. 8. Were you so well read in the History of that Day as you pretend to be this his strong Expostulation with the Lords and Commons would never have found room in your Defence of the King for his high violation of the Laws were too well known to the whole World to be denied and you his Majesty's Defender would never have revived the thing had you remembred the short but most pertinent Reply which both Houses made thereto in these words We are heartily sorry we have such plentiful matter of an Answer to that Question HAVE I VIOLATED YOUR LAWS You proceed Pag. 9. Sir saying That the Applications from the two Houses at this time were for NOTHING LESS than the MILITIA You are out again Doctor and would I use the Royal Language wherewith the Earl of Holland was intterrupted by the King in reading the Declaration to him at New-market I might with more Truth than he did say THAT' 's FALSE THAT' 's A LIE For in recounting some Particulars of the Declaration I have demonstrated that their Application was also for other and less Matters than the Militia they humbly petitioned him to put away his wicked Counsellors and to return to his Parliament You add That the King continuing stedfast to his Resolution and DEAF TO ALL THEIR IMPORIVNITIES The want of Ears I must tell you Reverend Sir cost him his Head at last telling them That he would nor part with his Militia for an Hour I must help you a little in this part of the Story too The Earl of Pembrook ask'd him Whether the Militia might not be granted as was desired by the Parliament for a time HIS MAJESTY SWORE BY GOD NOT FOR AN HOUR This shews him a little more stubbornly stedfast than you would tell the World however you told too much in this place or his Majesty resolved and swore too fast for afterwards you say That at the Treaty at Vxbridg Pag. 20. He consented that the Militia for three Years should be in the Hands of twenty Commissioners the one half to be nominated by the two Houses Your next words are these THE MILITIA THEY MUST HAVE Pag. 9. OR THE NATION IS UNDONE The State of the Kingdom at that Day considered there never fell from your Pen a greater Truth than what you have here delivered for besides the particular Instances which I have already given you of the King's Invasion of the Priviledges of the Parliament of the Rights of the People and of his Prâ—â—â—â—ations for War against them I must here inform you that in the beginning of the Year 1641 a time when the King was in appearance transacting Matters amicably with the two Houses and we seemed to be in a deep Peace a time when he declared that he had received no other carriage from his Parliament than what he professed himself satisfied with and that if the Bills he had past were again to be offered he should chearfully and readily assent unto them even then he dispatched away Letters and an Agent to the King of Denmark complaining of the Parliament and asking Supplies from thence AD PROPVLSANDOS HOSTES you know the English of that is to subdue his Enemies and declared himself in these words ☜ ad alia Consilia Animum convertendum duximus VVe resolve to betake our self to new Counsels the very words he used to the Parliament in the Year 1628. Further upon the Discovery of his Plot to bring up the English Army against the Parliament he turned to the Scotish Army then at Newcastle and baited his Temptation with a rich Reward not only to have 300000 l. in hand and the Spoil of London but four Northern Counties to be made Scotish Moreover to encourage them to joyn with him he declared to them that he was to have Money and Horse from Denmark and that he would made York the place of his Residence for the better Accommodation of both Nations or fuller Revenge upon London He also gathered Men in London under pretence of raising Forces for Portugal who were to possess themselves of the Tower The Queen in Holland was buying Arms and his Majesty had actually raised Forces in divers Counties The Parliament was all this time petitioning in Peace And for the Reasons now assigned amongst many others They humbly besought him that he would be pleased to put the Tower of London and the Militia into the hands of such Persons as should be recommended to him by both Houses of Parliament The King seemed to comply herein and by his Answer promised them that the Militia should be put into such hands as they should approve of or recommend to him hereupon both Houses nominated Persons of the greatest Honour as fit for that Trust to give you the Names of some of them the Earls of Holland Rutland Bedford Bullingbrook Salisbury Warwick Pembrook Leicester Stamford Essex Clare Northumberland Lincoln Suffolk c. Lords Paget North Strange Roberts Grey of Werk Chandois Dacres Mandeville Wharton Spencer Brook Herbert Fielding Littleton Lord Keeper c. Men eminent in all Quallifications of Honour and Sufficiency were recommended for several Counties and the King was desired to agree thereunto as he had promised upon his delaying to give a satisfactory Answer they again petition him to give such an Answer as might raise in them a Confidence that they should not be exposed to the Practices of those who thirst after the Ruin of the Kingdom and the kindling that Combustion in England which they had effected in Ireland That nothing could enable them to suppress THE REBELLION IN IRELAND and secure England but the granting of their humble Petition which they find so absolutely necessary for the preservation of the King and Common-wealth that the Laws of God and Man injoyn them to see it put in Execution They again by a Petition presented at Theobalds March 1 1641. intreated him that he would at last be pleased to grant their necessary Petition concerning the
Militia and declared that if he refused to do it in these times of Distraction they must be inforced to dispose of it for the Safety of the Kingdom in such manner as had been propounded to his Majesty They followed him with the same humble Supplication in his several Removes to York but HE HAVING ABDICATED the Parliament and BEING DEAF as you most ingenuously confess TO ALL THEIR IMPORTUNITIES they declared that there had been of late a most desperate Design upon the House of Commons which they had just cause to believe was an Effect of the BLOODY COVNSELS of PAPISTS and other ill-affected Persons who had already raised A REBELLION IN IRELAND and by reason of many Discoveries they could not but fear they would proceed not only to stir up the like REBELLION AND INSVRRECTION in this Kingdom but also to back them with Forces from abroad and thereupon both Houses made an Ordinance for the ordering the Militia of England and Wales there appearing an urgent and inevitable Necessity for putting his Majesty's Subjects in a Posture of Defence for the Safeguard of both his Majesty and the People And they RESOLVED that in this case of extream Danger and of his Majesty's refusal the Ordinance agreed to by both Houses for the Militia doth oblige the People and OVGHT TO BE OBEYED by the Fundamental Eaws of this Kingdom They further about that time RESOLVED That the King's Absence so far remote from his Parliament was not only an Obstruction but MIGHT BE A DESTRVCTION to the Affairs of Ireland And now Sir having laid before you the Grounds of the Parliament's proceeding as they did in the business of the Militia I will shew you how much higher our Fore-fathers went than we did in 1641. They were of that Courage and Severity of Zeal to Justice and their Native Liberty against the proud Contempt and Mis-rule of their Kings that when RICHARD the Second departed but from a Committee of Lords who sat preparing Matters for the Parliament they required the King then withdrawn no further off than the Tower to come to Westminster WHICH HE REFUSING THEY FLATLY TOLD HIM THAT UNLESS HE CAME THEY WOULD CHOOSE ANOTHER KING So high a Crime it was accounted then for a King to absent himself much less would they have suffered that a King should leave his Regal Station and the whole Kingdom bleeding to Death of those Wounds which his own unskilful and perverse Government had made Yet WE IN OUR DAY went not their length THE KING HAD ABDICATED our Religion Lives and Liberties were threatned with most imminent Danger from intestine Enemies and Foreign Force WE only made a most necessary Provision that our own Swords should not be imployed to the Destruction of all that was dear unto us And pray what harm what Rebellion was there in all this The next thing we meet with in your Defence Pag. 10. REVEREND DOCTOR is this Before the War actually broke out the King was gone to York hoping thereby to COOL THE HEATS that were AT LONDON and in some little time TO BE INVITED thither to live with more Honour and Safety than he did before The King in truth went to York in a high Chafe hoping for something beyond and contrary to what you intimate 't was in hopes that to enable himself the better for that dismal War which he had resolved upon he might possess himself of Hull a Town of great Strength and most advantagiously situated both for Sea and Land Affairs and which was at that time the Magazine of all the Arms which he had bought with Money most illegally extorted from his Subjects to use in a causless and most unjust Civil War against his Subjects of Scotland Did he hope for an Invitation back to London Why he had that very often made to him in a most humble and earnest manner in particular by a Petition of the Lords and Commons presented to him at York the 26th of March 1642. They humbly advised and beseeched him that FOR THE RECOVERY OF IRELAND and securing this Kingdom he would be graciously pleased with all convenient speed to return to London and to close with the Counsel of his Parliament where he should find their dutiful Affections and Endeavours ready to attend him with such Entertainment as should not only give him just cause of Security in their Faithfulness but other manifold Evidences of their Intentions and Endeavours to advance his Majesty's Service Honour and Contentment and to establish it upon the sure Foundation of the Peace and Prosperity of his Kingdoms EXPRESSIONS surely Doctor THAT DO NOT IN THE LEAST SAVOUR OF REBELLION AND TREASON The deaf King instead of hearkning to this dutiful Petition and Invitation summoned the Gentry of that County to attend him at York where he made the most bitter Invectives against the Parliament and stirred them up to raise Horse and Foot for his Service His Majesty found but six Gentlemen to comply with his Demand of raising Men tho made under the pretence of a Guard The greater part of the Gentlemen and divers thousands of Freeholders gave him an Answer under their hands to this effect We humbly beseech your Majesty to impart the grounds of your Fears and Jealousies to your High Court of Parliament OF WHOSE MOST LOYAL CARE AND AFFECTION TO YOVR MAJESTY'S HONOVR AND SAFETY WE ARE MOST CONFIDENT and WHATSOEVER SHALL BE ADVISED BY YOVR GREAT COVNCIL we shall most willingly imbrace and give our Concurrence and Assistance to it as shall become us And WE ARE MOST ASSVRED that your Royal Person shall be secure in the general Fidelity of your Subjects of this County without any extraordinary GUARD The King was presented the next day with a Petition from many thousands who justly stiled themselves peaceably affected Subjects in the County of York in which they speak thus That many of them in their late Desires of petitioning your Majesty were denied Access kept back with Violence and affronted by some who had Dependance on your Majesty and were threatned that WHEN YOVR MAJESTY'S ARMY SHOVLD BE ON FOOT those should be first pillaged that refused to subscribe to the raising of Forces which we humbly conceive are POSITIVELY CONTRARY TO YOVR MAJESTY'S OWN EXPRESSIONS c. We humbly supplicate your Majesty to cast your Eye upon the present State of this your Kingdom We are confident that no so absolute and hearty Observance to your Majesty's just Commands can be demostrated as what your Majesty in Parliament shall declare which IF IT BECOME DIVIDED as God forbid our Hearts even tremble to consider the Dangers and Diminution of the Honour and Safety your Majesty's Posterity and Kingdoms will unavoidably be put upon Since it is clear to every Vnderstanding that IT IS NOT A DIVIDED PART OF ONE OR SEVERAL COVNTIES THAT can afford that Honour and Safety to your Majesty AS THE WHOLE KINGDOM WHICH YOV MAT COMMAND no ground of Fear or Danger remaining if a good
Confidence were begot betwixt your Majesty and your Parliament whose grave and loyal Counsels are we humbly conceive the visible way under God to put a speedy end to the Troubles of Ireland and establish your Throne in Righteousness We most humbly supplicate that we may represent our Vnfitness to become Judges betwixt your Majesty and Parliament in any thing or dispute the Authority of either which we humbly conceive do fortify each other We shall be ready to maintain your Majesty's just Rights the Priviledges and Power of Parliaments and the lawful Liberties of the Subjects I have now shown you Doctor that the King wanted not Invitations to return and live in Honour and Safety at London The Parliament importunately press'd it the Gentlemen and Freeholders of Yorkshire humbly supplicated it But nothing is more certain than that instead of hoping to cool the Heats at London by retiring to York 't was his sole purpose and intention to put that Country and the whole Kingdom into a Flame as he quickly did and pursuant to that Design having rejected with Scorn the Petitions I have mentioned he persisted in his former way of raising Forces and made Proclamation requiring all Gentlemen and others of that County to attend him in Arms. The Lords and Commons wisely foreseeing the impending Mischief and observing the Clouds to gather so fast and threaten a Storm they as wisely endeavoured to prevent it and therefore passed a Vote May 20 1642 That it appears the King seduced by wicked Counsel intends to make War against the Parliament who in all their Consultations and Actions have proposed no other end unto themselves but the Care of his Kingdom and the performance of all Duty and Loyalty to his Person 2. That whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a Breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People contrary to his Oath and tending to the Dissolution of the Government 3. That whosoever shall serve or assist him in such War are Traitors by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged by two Acts of Parliament and ought to suffer as Traitors 11 Rich. 2. 1 Hen. 4. But I must hear you Pag. 10. Sir upon this Point of the first beginning of the unnatural and bloody War you suggest that he was forced to raise an Army which was after the Parliament had voted a Necessity of a War with him Will you never leave your L Doctor The Parliament did not vote a necessity of a War They indeed voted as I told you but now That it appeared that the King intended to make War against them and it was near two Months afterwards viz. the 12th of July 1642 that the Lords and Commons finding his Majesty to persist in that Intention voted that an Army should be forthwith raised for the Safety of the King's Person Defence of both Houses of Parliament and preserving of the true Religion the Laws Liberty and the Peace of the Kingdom That the Earl of Essex should be General and that they will live and die with him in this Cause and that the Earl of Bedford should be General of the Horse Nevertheless they resolved that a Petition should be presented to his Majesty by the Earl of Holland Sir John Holland and Sir Philip Stapleton to move the King to a good Accord with his Parliament to prevent a Civil War which was to the effect following Although We your Majesty's most humble and faithful Subjects the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament have been very unhappy in many former Petitions to your Majesty and with much Sorrow do perceive that your Majesty incensed by many false Calumnies and Slanders doth continue to raise Forces against us and to make great Preparations for War both in the Kingdom and from beyond the Seas yet such is our earnest desire of discharging our Duty to your Majesty and the Kingdom to preserve the Peace thereof and to prevent the Miseries of Civil War That notwithstanding we hold our selves bound to use all the Means and Power which by the Laws and Constitutions of this Kingdom we are trusted with for Defence and Protection thereof and of the Subjects from Force and Violence We do in this our humble and loyal Petition prostrate our selves at your Majesty's Feet beseeching that you will forbear and remove all Preparations and Actions of War That you will come nearer to your Parliament and hearken to their faithful Advice and humble Petitions which shall only tend to the Defence and Advancement of Religion your own Royal Honour and Safety the preservation of our Laws and Liberties And we have been and ever shall be careful to prevent and punish all Tumults and seditious Actings Speeches and Writings which may give your Majesty just cause of Distaste or apprehension of Danger And we for our Parts shall be ready to lay down all those Preparations which we have been forced to make for our Defence And for the Town of Hull and the Ordinance concerning the Militia as we have in both these Particulars only sought the preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom and the Defence of the Parliament from Force and Violence so we shall most willingly leave the Town of Hull in the state it was before Sir John Hotham drew any Forces into it delivering your Majesty's Magazine into the Tower of London We shall be ready to settle the Militia by a Bill in such a way as shall be honourable and safe for your Majesty most agreeable to the Duty of Parliament and effectual for the Good of the Kingdom that the Strength thereof be not employed against it self and that which ought to be for our Security applied to our Destruction And that the Parliament and those who profess and desire still to preserve the Protestant Religion both in this Realm and in Ireland may not be left naked and indefensible to the mischievous Designs and cruel Attempts of those who are the profess'd and confederate Enemies thereof in your Majesty's Dominions and other Neighbour Nations To which if your Majesty's Courses and Counsels shall from henceforth concur We doubt not but we shall quickly make it appear to the World by the most eminent Effects of Love and Duty That your Majesty's personal Safety your Royal Honour and Greatness are much dearer to us than our own Lives and Fortunes which we do most heartily dedicate and shall most willingly imploy for the support and maintenance thereof And now Sir I appeal to you and to all the World Whether these Men talk'd here as though they were resolved to make War and engross all into their own Hands let what would become of the King as a certain Aldgate Doctor of Divinity falsly accuses the Lords and Commons Thanks be to God Sir John Holland as well as Sir John Prattle is yet alive in Norfolk in perfect Health and Understanding and is ready to give the same account I have here given you to any Man that asks
him about it What say you next Pag. 10. Mr. Chaplain at Aldgate Why To let the World see what the King aimed at He does assure the Gentlemen whose Loyalty engaged them early on his Side and does promise them in the Presence of Almighty God and as he hopes for his Blessing and Protection that he would to the utmost of his Power defend and maintain the true Protestant Religion establish'd in the Church of England You almost provoke me Doctor to draw up a Petition to your Right Honourable and Right Reverend Diocesan to suspend you from writing DEFENCES till you swear to do them honestly then and not till then we may hope for the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth I am credibly informed that there was something more in this Speech than you are willing to acknowledg 'T is the same I take it for granted that his Majesty made at the Head of his Army between Stafford and Wellington the 19th of September 1642. He then had these Expressions also The time cannot be long before we come to Action You shall meet with no Enemies but TRAITORS MOST OF THEM â—ROWNISTS ANABAPTISTS AND ATHEISTS These were the Words of a King I shall not therefore reflect further upon them than to ask you upon the Oath which you are to take Whether you do in your Conscience believe that the Great the Good the pious King spoke Truth here Whether he had not more Atheists and Papists in his Army than the Parliament had Brownists and Anabaptists in theirs Your next Effort is this Pag. 12. You fall upon the Consideration of the Steps his Majesty made towards Peace and thus express your self Truly I think ACCORDING TO MY POOR JVDGMENT he now Acts according to what he always pretended and solemnly avowed to wit as a true Father of his Country for be proposes That HIS REVENVE MAGAZINES TOWNS SHIPS AND FORTS may be restored to him and all should be well Now I will readily agree that there is here and there found a Doctor nay a Chaplain too of a poor Judgment but one would think that he that is conscious of his own Weakness and Incapacity should not assume the Arrogance to judg in Matters of Right between Princes and their People And I will here tell you what better Heads than you or I ever wore said upon this Point The Opinion of the Parliament was That his Majesty's Towns were no more his own than his Kingdom is his own and his Kingdom is no more his own than his People are his own And if the King had a Propriety in all his Towns what would become of the Subjects Property in their Houses therein And if he had a Propriety in his Kingdom what would become of the Subjects Property in their Lands throughout the Kingdom or of their Liberties if his Majesty had the same Right in their Persons that every Subject hath in his Lands This ERRONEOVS MAXIM being infused into Princes THAT THEIR KINGDOMS ARE THEIR OWN and that they may do with them what they will AS IF THEIR KINGDOMS were for them and not they for their Kingdoms is the Root of all the Subjects Misery and of the invading of their just Rights and Liberties whereas INDEED THEY ARE ONLY INTRVSTED with their Kingdoms and with their Towns and with their People and with the Publick Treasures of the Common-Wealth and whatsoever is bought therewith and by the known Law of the Kingdom the VERY JEWELS OF THE CROWN are not the King 's PROPER Goods but are only intrusted unto him for the Vse and Ornament thereof as the Towns Forts Treasure Magazines Offices and the People of the Kingdom and the whole Kingdom it self is entrusted unto him for the Good Safety and best Advantage thereof And AS THIS TRVST IS FOR THE VSE OF THE KINGDOM SO IT OVGHT TO BE MANAGED BY THE ADVICE OF THE HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT whom the Kingdom hath trusted for that purpose it being their Duty to see it be discharged according to the condition and true indent thereof and as much as in them lies by all possible means to prevent the contrary Not to enquire what you Sir in your poor Judgment do think of this high Principle I will move with what speed I can to a Conclusion I told you not long since That the Lords and Commons voted the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex and at the same time humbly but in vain supplicated the King for Peace and to return to his Parliament When the General marched with his Forces towards the Army raised against the Parliament and Kingdom He was instructed to fight at such Time and Place as he should judg most to conduce to the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom but was also commanded to cause a Petition of both Housâ—s to be presented to his Majesty wherein they thus expressed themselves We cannot without great grief and tenderness of Compassion behold the pressing Miseries the imminent Dangers the devouring Calamities which do extreamly threaten the Kingdoms of England and Ireland by the practice of a Party prevailing with your Majesty who by many wicked Plots and Conspiracies have attempted the alteration of the true Religion and the ancient Government of this Kingdom and the introducing of POPISH IDOLATRY AND SVPERSTITION in the CHVRCH and TYRANNY and CONFVSION in the STATE And for the compassing thereof have long corrupted your Majesty's Counsels abused your Power and by sudden and untimely dissolving of the former Parliaments have often hindred the Reformation and Prevention of those Mischiefs and being now disabled to avoid the Endeavours of this Parliament by any such Means have TRAITEROVSLY attempted to over-awe the same by Force And in prosecution of their wicked Designs have EXCITED ENCOVRAGED AND FOSTER'D an unnatural REBELLION in IRELAND and have drawn your MAJESTY to make War against your Parliament as if you intended by CONQVEST to establish an ABSOLVTE ILLIMITED I OWER over them And by YOVR POWER and the countenance of your Presence have SPOILED IMPRISONED MVRDERED divers of your People And for their better assistance in these wicked Designs do seek to bring over the Rebels of Ireland to join with them WE HAVE for the just and necessary Defence of the Protestant Religion of your Majesty's Person of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and the Priviledg and Power of Parliament TAKEN VP ARMS and appointed Robert Earl of Essex to be Captain General of all the Forces by us raised and to head and conduct the same against these REBELS and TRAITORS and them to subdue and bring to condign Punishment And do most humbly beseech your Majesty to withdraw your Royal Presence and Countenance from these wicked Persons and THAT YOVR MAJESTY WILL NOT MIX YOVR OWN DANGER WITH THEIRS but in Peace and Safety forthwith return to your Parliament and by their faithful Counsel and Advice compose the present Distempers and Confusions abounding in both your Kingdoms and
provide for the Security and Honour of your Royal Posterity and the prosperous Estate of all your Subjects And we do in the presence of Almighty God profess That we will receive your Majesty with all Honour yield you all due Obedience and Subjection and faithfully endeavour to secure your Person and Estate from all Danger and to the uttermost of our Power to procure and establish to your Self and to your People all the Blessings of a glorious and happy Reign You see Sir the LORDS AND COMMONS TALK'D LIKE CHRISTIANS They were grieved at the Miseries of the Kingdoms They detested the Romish Idolatry When they sent their Army against the Enemies of the King and Kingdom they supplicate his Majesty not to mix his Danger with theirs but to return in Peace to his Parliament and compose the Distempers of his Kingdoms and provide for the Security and Honour of his Posterity They IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD PROFESS that they would receive him with all Honour yield him all due Subjection endeavour to secure him from Danger and make his Reign Glorious and Happy WHICH WORDS CERTAINLY ARE NOT THE WORDS OF TRAITORS But all this would not do for he resolved to answer their Petitions in Blood and proclaimed the Earl of Essex Rebel Yet to blind the Eyes of the Multitude and disguise his pernicious and cruel Intentions under the semblance of Peace and Justice he made as you Doctor have observed divers solemn Protestations with fearful Imprecations upon himself and invocation of God's Holy Name That he intended nothing but the Peace and Welfare of his People the maintenance of Religion and the Laws of the Kingdom and for his own security only to raise a Guard for his Person and that he did from his Soul abhor the thought of making War against the Parliament or to put the Kingdom into a Combustion Nevertheless his contrary intentions were at that very instant manifested by these ensuing Actions and Proceedings before the Parliament voted the raising of their Army He put a Garison of Souldiers into Newcastle The * Upon the 27th of Septemb. 1642 he not only allowed but required the Papists of Lancashire to provide Arms for themselves their Servants and Tenants and all without doubt for the Service of the Church of England Papists in a peremptory manner in the King's Name demanded their Arms taken from them according to the Laws to be again restored to them He caused the Mouth of the River Tine to be fortified whereby the whole Trade of Newcastle for Coals was subject to be interrupted whensoever he should please A Ship laden with Cannon for Battery Powder and Ammunition was brought for him into the River of Humber which also brought several Commanders from Foreign Parts Also divers other large Preparations of Warlike Provisions were made beyond the Sea and shortly expected besides great Numbers of Gentlemen Horses and Arms were drawn from all parts of the Kingdom and all the Gentlemen of Yorkshire required to bring in their Horses for the King's Service Commissions for raising Horse were granted and divers Officers for his Army were appointed Upon the 4th of July the King rendezvouzed an Army of a considerable number of Horse and Foot and Beverly amongst whom there were divers Papists and other Persons of desperate Fortune and Condition ready to execute any Violence Rapine and Oppression He sent some Troops of Horse into Lincolnshire to the great Terror of the People They began to take away Mens Horses by force and to commit Acts of Hostility These are sad Truths Reverend Doctor and the King having thus contrary to his solemn Protestation begun the War the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament held themselves bound in Conscience to raise Forces for the preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom and Protection of the People in their Persons and Estates according to Law and for the Defence and Security of the Parliament and accordingly upon the 12th of July 1642 and not before as I have already told you they voted the raising an Army for these purposes Now in regard as I understand you were before your Dotage a Presbyterian Minister of Essex I would gladly set your poor Judgment right in this great Point of as well the Necessity as Justice of the Parliament War and in regard that I find you prejudiced against Dr. Seaman and Mr. Calamy I will not offer their Opinion to you but pray see what the learned and pious Mr. Daniel Rogers of Wethersfield Mr. Matthew Newcomen of Dedham and above sixty eminent Ministers of so many several Towns in Essex left under their hands in relation to this Controversy between you and me We say they call the God of Heaven and Earth to witness upon our Souls that it was not hatred to any Party or Person much less to the Person of OUR KING that first drew â—â—s to engage with and for the PARLIAMENT but clearly this some Years before the assembling of this Parliament we evidently saw the Affairs of Church and State in imminent and apparent hazardâ— many and great Alterations made in Doctrine Innovations in Worship the Power of Godliness disgrac'd true Religion undermined the faithful and conscientious Professors of it persecuted even to Bonds Flight and Imprisonment POPERY CONNIVED AT COUNTENANCED COURTED besides many grievous Oppressions of the Subjects in their Liberties and Properties These things we saw and signed for but had no thoughts of inviting any to make Resistance tho against the abused Name and Power of a misguided King whom we much pitied in his Miscarriages until it pleased God to bless us with A PARLIAMENT THE ORDINARY MEANS WHICH HE HATH APPOINTED IN THIS NATION FOR THE REDRESSING OF SUCH GROWING EVILS The Parliament meet declare their Apprehensions of the Danger of CHURCH AND STATE apply themselves to all humble and submiss ways by PETITIONS See the Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Decemb. 15. 1641. REMONSTRANCES c. speak nothing but honourably of the King lay the blame of all Miscarriages upon Evil Counsellors require them to Trial But God for our Sins and his shuts up his Majesty's Heart against these Addresses instead of yielding up those whom the Parliament demands he demands some of their Members seconds his Demand with a. Face of Violence And HERE BEGAN THAT MOST UNHAPPY BREACH the Parliament upon this desire a Guard the King apprehended OR PRETENDED Terror he leaves his Parliament upon it and UNDER SHADOW OF A GUARD for his Person RAISETH AN ARMY sets up his STANDARD c. The Story is too long and sad for us to relate but hence arose that Fire which since hath burnt almost to the very Foundation and who knows when it will be quenched The Parliament seeing which way the Counsels of the King steered apprehend a necessity of raising Arms FOR THE DEFENCE OF THEMSELVES AND THE KINGDOM When the War was first commenced their Army carried a Petition in the one hand as well as a
to say that those words were not only consonant to his Speech then made in Parliament but agreeable to the constant Tenour of his whole Life even unto the last Period His Father and Mother lived and died pious Protestants such was his Religious Lady and such are his Grand-Children at this day This Lord Conway was Knighted at the taking of Cadiz in Spain in the time of Queen Elizabeth he was afterwards for many Years Governour of the Brill in Holland where he and his Family lived as became zealous Protestants and greatly beloved and esteemed by the Protestant Magistrates and Ministers of that Town He was greatly favoured by the never to be forgotten MOST PIOUS PRINCE HENRY When the Brill and other Cautionary Towns were delivered to the Dutch upon his return into England he was imployed to Jersey to compose some Differences there which he performed to so much Satisfaction that the good Protestants of that Place always mentioned him with Honour He was then sent Ambassador to Germany in behalf of the King and Queen of Bohemia and was very acceptable to those UNHAPPILY DESERTED Protestant Princes Upon his return to England the Spanish-Match was warmly press'd against which he spake with so much Reason and Courage that the Duke of Buckingham who for particular ends resolved to ruin that Project introduced him as a proper Instrument for that purpose to be Principal Secretary of State In that Station he refused many great Gifts tendred to him by particular Persons and 10000 l. Sterling offer'd and press'd upon him by the Spanish Ambassador In the beginning of King Charles I. Reign at the opening of one of those Parliaments and according to the Custom then the Holy Communion being to be received by both Houses of Parliament by the Contrivance of some LAUDEANS the SACRAMENT was offered to the Lords in Henry the Seventh's Chappel NOT IN BREAD BUT IN WAFERS This Lord Conway was one of the Lords who refused the Wafers and caused them to be taken away and Bread to be brought * He that would not make the necessary Advances to Rome was to be neither Secretary nor Minister of State to King Charles I. Not long after K. Charles I. sent for the Seals of the Secretary's Office from him which as the Lord imployed in that Message would often say the Lord Conway delivered with an admirable Generosity becoming indeed one that in that Ministry of State had served the Publick with extraordinary Ability and Integrity had performed many noble Offices to particular Persons without Injury to any and left that Place and some others of great Profit without one Farthing advantage to the State of his Family When he was upon his Death-Bed a Lady of great Wit who was turned Papist and was the Widow of a near Relation of his Lordship very subtilly and earnestly press'd upon him concerning his Religion whereupon he strengthened himself and made full Profession of his firm Stedfastness in the Reformed Protestant Religion caus'd the Servants to convey this Lady out of his House and commanded them not to suffer any of that Religion to come to him And now Doctor I assure you at parting That as fast as you shall convince me of any Error or Mistake committed in my Scriblings about your Martyr I shall as openly and frankly retract it as I have now done this which relates to my Lord Conway Might I be made so happy as to find a sutable return from you and that you would give a free and impartial Liberty to the use of your own Reason I would yet hope that we might mutually conclude as I now do Your Friend in and for the Truth Edmund Ludlow Amsterdam Jan. 30 1691 2. FINIS A Table of some remarkable Things in this Book KIng Charles I. favouring Popery and dispensing with the Laws c. Page 3 His Bishops cherished Popery and discountenanced conformable Orthodox Ministers Page 3 Montague one of his Chaplains endeavoured to reconcile England to Rome made a Bishop Page 4 The King 's lending Ships to the French to destroy the Protestants of Rochel Page 4 Ship-Money Loan Coat and Conduct-Money required and the Refusers imprisoned and impress'd to serve at Sea Page 4 Archbishop Abbot suspended and confined By Williams disgraced and imprisoned Page 5 Sir Randolph Crew Lord Chief Justice displas'd Page 5 Tonnage and Poundage levied against Law Page 5 Earl of Bristol confined Page 6 Earl of Arundel imprison'd Page 6 Duke of Buckingham protected against the Parliament Page 6 Members of Parliament imprison'd Page 6 Sir John Elliot's Death in the Tower Page 7 The King 's threatning Speeches in Parliament Page 7 His Speech at the Meeting of the Parliament Nov. 1640. Page 11 Bishops obtruded upon Scotland against their Laws Page 12 Laud framed a Common-Prayer for Scotland and sent it to be approved by the Pope Page 12 The Scots protest against it Page 13 King James I. took the Scotish Covenant in the Year 1580. Page 13 The Scots renewed that Covenant in the Year 1638. Page 13 14 The Scots require to have the Liturgy abolished and to have a National Synod Page 14 A Synod called and dissolved by the King the Scots protest against the Dissolution and continue it Page 14 The King resolves upon a War against Scotland Page 14 That War called Bellum Episcopale Page 15 The Scots raise an Army Page 15 A Pacification concluded the King soon after burns it by the Hangman's hands Page 15 Scotish Commissioners sent to the King imprisoned Page 16 A Parliament called in April 1640 and dissolved Page 16 Members imprisoned Page 17 Clergy and Bapists contribute to a second War against Scotland Page 17 Sir Nicholas Rainton Sir Stephen Soame and other eminent Citizens imprison'd for refusing a Loan Page 17 The Scots possess themselves of Newcastle and Durham Page 17 The Lords at York petition for a Parliament Page 18 Cessation of Arms with the Scots Page 18 Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts suppress'd by Act of Parliament Page 21 Poll-money granted Page 21 Dr. Leighton's Censure in the Star-Chamber Page 22 Mr. Pryn's Dr. Bastwick's and. Mr. Burton's Censures and horrid Oppressions by Archbishop Laud. Page 24 25 Those Sentences declared illegal in Parliament Page 27 Ship-Money illegal Page 27 Lord Keeper Finch impeach'd of High-Treason about Ship-Money and flies Page 28 The many Exorbitances and Oppressions of the Bishops Page 28 Twelve of them impeach'd of Treason and all removâ—â— from the Lords House Page 29 The Earl of Strafford impeach'd and attâ—inted of Treason Page 30 Bills for Triennial Parliaments and for continuing the present Parliament passed Page 31 Conspiracy to bring the Army against the Parliament discovered Page 32 The King had a Million and half of Money in the first Year of the Parliament 1640. Page 35 The Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Dec. 1641. Page 35 The Tumults and Riots in 1641. Page 37 An Account of the occasion of those Tumults Page 41 The King accuses the Lord Mandeville and five Members of Treason Page 37 He goes to the House of Commons with an armed Force and demands the five Members Page 37 The Commons demand a Guard Page 38 The Case of the five Members discussed Page 38 The King leaves White-hall Page 42 The Parliament petitions him at Theobalds to return Page 42 They send a Declaration to him to Newmarket praying his return and the putting the Militia into safe hands Page 43 His Answer about the Militia Page 46 His sending to the King of Denmark for Aid against the Parliament Page 47 He invited the Scots against them Page 47 The Queen buys Arms in Holland Page 47 Names of the Peers recommended by the Parliament to be entrusted with the Militia Page 47 The Lords and Commons petition about the Militia Page 48 Their Ordinance for ordering the Militia Page 48 The Proceedings of the Parliament with King Richard the Second Page 49 The Lords and Commons petition the King at York to return Page 50 The King summons the Gentry to York and requires them to raise him a Guard Page 50 They petition him to return to the Parliament Page 50 Petition of many thousand Freeholders of Yorkshire Page 50 The King requires the Gentlemen c. of Yorkshire to attend him in Arms. Page 51 The Lords and Commons vote that the King Intends to raise War and that it is a Breach of his Trust and that such as assist him in that War are Traitors Page 52 They vote the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex Page 52 Their Petition to the King to return Page 52 The King's Speech at the head of his Army Page 54 The Petition of the Parliament sent by the Earl of Essex Page 56 The Preparations made by the King for War Page 58 The Opinion of above sixty Essex Ministers of the Parliament War Page 59 The Uxbridg-Treaty Page 61 Heads of Letters between the King Queen and Marquess of Ormond about the Uxbridg-Treaty and for procuring a Peace with the Irish Rebels to bring them against the Parliament Page 63 The vulgar Error of the Scots selling the King refuted Page 67 A Vindication of the Lord Conway Page 69