returned without the prisoner This being related to the House of Commons they would sit no longer without their Member and desiring a conference with the Lords Sir Thomas Aâ—dly then Chancellour and the rest judged the contempt to be very great and referred 〈◊〉 punishment thereof to the House of Commons it selfe Concerning liberty or freedome of speech which is held another privilege of Parliament There is a speech of Sir Thomâ—â— Moors upon record who being chosen Speaker 14. Henry the eight He first disabled himself and then petitioned the King in the behalf of the House that if iâ— communication and reasoning any maâ—â— should speak more largely then of duty be ought to do all such offences should be pardoned which was granted and entreâ— upon record In which petition it is observable that liberty or freedom of speech is not a power for men to speak whaâ— they will or please in Parliament It is â— priviledge onely not to be punished but pardoned for the offence of speaking more largely then in duty they ought to do which in a right construction must be understood of rash unadvised ignorant or negligent escapes and slips in speech not for willfull malicious much lesse for treasonable speeches And then the Kings pardon was desired to be upon record that it might be pleaded at Bar to all actions There is a speech upon record in Queen Elizabeths time wherein the Commons were warn'd not to meddle with the Queens Person the State or Church-Government Polyander I have heard of divers traverses that hapned in the reign of that popular and long lived Queen which trenched as much if not more upon the priviledges of Parliament and the liberties of the people then any that happen'd in the reign of the two last Kings Philanglus It is very true and I will give you some instances drawn from good authentick records 23. Elizabeth Mr. Paul Wentworth moved in the House for a publick fast and for a Sermon every morning at seven a clock before the House sate the House hereupon was divided 100 were against it and 150 for it and so an order passed accordingly The Queen being told hereof sent a message to the House by her Vice-chamberlain That her Highnesse had great admirâ—â—tion of the rashnesse of the House in commitâ—ing such an apparent contempt of her expresse command as to put in execution such an innovation without her privity or pleasure fist known Thereupon Mr. Vice-chamberlain moved the House to make an humble submission to her Majesâ—y acknowledging the said offence and contempt and to crave remission for the same withâ—â—full purpose to forbear the committing of the like hereafter So by the suffrage of the whole House Mr. Vice-chamberlain carryed their submission to the Queen accordingly 35 Elizabeth Mr. Peter Wentworth and Sir Henry Bromley delivered a Petition to the Lord Keeper desiring the Lords of the Upper House to be suppliants with them of the Lower House unto her Majesty for entayling the succession of the Crown whereof a Bill was ready drawn The Queen was highly displeased herewith and charged her Councel to call the parties before them so Sir Thomas Henage was sent to fetch them so they were first commanded to forbear going to the House and not to go out of their several lodgings afterward they were called before the Lord Tresurer Lord Buckhurst and Sir Thomas Henage Wentworth was committed to the Tower and Bromeley to the Fleet together with Mr. Stevens as also Mr. Welch Knight for Worcestershire The Queen sent a notable check to the House of Commons 28. of her raign for chosing and returning Knights of the Shire for Norfolk a thing impertinent for the House to deal withall and belonging only to the Office and charge of her Chancellor from whom the Writs issue and are return'd In one Parliament when Mr. Coke afterwards Sir Edward Coke was Speaker the Queen sent a Messenger or Sargeant at Arms into the House of Commons and took out Mr. Morris and committed him to Prison with divers others for some speeches spoken in the House Thereupon Mr. Wroth moved the House that they would be humble sutors to her Majesty that she would be pleased to enlarge those members of the House that were restrain'd which was done accordingly and answer was sent by her Privy Councel That her Majesty had committed them for causes best known to her self and to presse her Highuesse with this suit would but hinder the whole good they sought That the House must not call the Queen to an account for what shee doth of her Royal Authority That the causes for which they are restrain'd may be high and dangerous That her Majesty liketh no such questions neither doth it become the House to search into matters of that nature The Commons were told 39. Elizabeth that their priviledge was yea and no And that her Majesties pleasure was that if the Speaker perceived any idle heads which would not stick to hazard their own estates but meddle with reforming the Church and trans forming the Common-weal by exhibiting Bills to that purpose the Speaker should not receive them till they were viewed and considered by those who are sitter to consider of such things and can better judge of them Moreover the Queen rejected 48. Bills which had passed both Houses in that Parliament The House of Commons by their Speaker 39. Elizabeth complained of some Monopolies whereupon the Lord Keeper made answer in her Majesties name That her Highnesse hoped her dutiful and loving Subjects would not take away her Prerogative which is the chiefest flower in her Garland the principall and hâ—ad Pearl in her Crown and Diadem but that they will rather leave that to her own disposition Sergeant Heal said 43. Elizabeth publiquely in Parliament that he marvelled the House stood either at the granting of a subsidy or time of payment considering that all we have is her Majesties and she may lawfully at her pleasure take it from us in regard she had as much right to all our lands and goods as to any revenew of the Crown and he said he could prove it by precedents in the raign of Henry the third King John and King Steven This speech agrees with that which Sir Edward Coke hath in his Institutes where he saith positively That the first Kings of this Realm had all the Lands of England in Demesne and the great Mannors and Royalties they reserved to themselves and enfeoffed the Barons of the remnant for the common defence of the Kingdom There was a remarkable passage happen'd in the raign of Henry the fourth The House of Commons Petitioned the King that they might have advice and communication with certain Lords about matteâ—â— of businesse in Parliament for the commoâ— good of the Kingdom which prayer as the record hath it Our Lord the King graciously granted but with this protestation That he did it not of duty nor of custom but of his special grace So our Lord the King
to the King to make him the best beloved that ever was I thought that before his going to Scotland he had redress'd all grievances by those Acts of Grace you spoke of before Philanglus So he had and he rested not there but complid further with the house by condescending to an Act for putting down the Star Chamber Court the High Commission Court the Court of Honor nay he was contented that his Privy Councel shouâ—d be regulated and his Forests bounded not according to ancient Prerogative but late custom nay further he passed a Bill for the unvoting and utter exclusion of the spiritual Lords from the Parliament for ever Add hereunto that having placed two worthy Gentlemen Lievâ—enants of the Tower he remov'd them one after another to content the House and put in one of their election Lastly he trusted them with his Navy Royal and call'd home at their motion Sir I. Pennington who had then the guard of the narrow Seas Polyander I never remember to have heard or read of such notable Concessions from any King but how came the Bishops to be so tumbled out Philanglus The City rabble were still conniv'd at to be about Westminster Hall where they offered some out-rages to the Bishops as they went into the House hereupon they presented a Petition to the King and Parliament that they might be secur'd to repair thither to discharge their duties according to the Laws of the Land In which Petition there was a protest or Caveat that no Act should passe or be valid without them This Petition both for matter and form was much excepted against and cried up to be high Treason so twelve of the old Bishops were hurried to the Tower but some of the knowingest Lawyers being considered withall whether this was Treason in the Bishops or no they answered that it might be called Adultery as much as Treason so after many moneths imprisonment the charge of Treason being declin'd against them they were releas'd in the morning but coop'd up again in the afternoon then they were restored to a conditional liberty touching their persons but to be eternalâ—y excluded out of the house which made one of them in a kind of Prophetick way to tell one of the Temporalâ—Peers my Lord you see how we are voted out of the House and the next turn will be yours which proved true Polyander I remember when I was at York a Gentleman shewed me a fair old manuscript of some things passed in Henry the eighths time and one passage among the rest sticks in my memory how Cardinal Wolsey being sick at Leicâ—ster the King sent Sir Joâ—n Kingston to comfort him to whom he answered Oh! Sir John 't is too late to receive any earthly comfort but remember my most humble allegeance to the King and tell him this story from a dying man The Bohemians repining at the Hierarchy of the Church put down Bishops but what followed then the Comunalty insulted over the Nobility and afterwards the King himself was depoâ—â—d so the government grew a while to be meerly popular but then it turned from a Successive to be an Elective Kingdom This said he will be the fate of Eng. unless the King bear up the reverence â—ue to the Church and so I pray God that his Majesty may find more mercy at the tribunal of Heaven then I have upon the Earth But pray Sir be pleas'd to proceed Philanglus The Parliament having the Navy at their disposing which they found to be in a good equipage gramercy Ship money and having chosen the Earl of Warwick Commander in Chief notwithstanding the King excepted against him They demand all the Land Souldiers and Military strength of the Kingdom to be managed by them and to be put in what posture and under what Commanders they pleased But the King answered that he would consider of this and it was the first thing that he ever denied them yet at last he was contented to grant them this also for a limitted time but that would not serve the turn Hereupon growing sensible how they inched every day more and more upon the Royal Preroâ—ative He thought 't was high time for him to look to himself And intending with some of his menial servants onely to go to Hull to see a Magazin of ammunition which he had bought with his own treasure he was in a hostile manner kept out the Gates shut Cannons mounted Pistols cocked and levelled at him and there the Kings party said the war first began Polyander A hard destiny it was for a King to lose the love of his subjects in that manner and to fall a clashing with his great Council but under favour that demand of the Militia was somewhat too high for every natural Prince and supream Governour hath an inherent and inalienable right in the common strength of the Country for though the peoples love be a good Cittadel yet there must be a concurrence of some outward visible force besides which no Earthly power may dispose of without his command and for him to transmit this power to any other specially to any that he mistrusts is the onely way to render him inglorious unsafe and despicable both at home and abroad you know in the Fable when the Lion parted with his paws and the Eagle with her talons how contemptible the one grew among all beasts and the other among birds The Scepter and the Crown are but bables without a sword to support them There 's none so simple as to think ther 's meant hereby an ordinary single sword such as every one carrieth at his side no t is the publique Polemical sword of the whole Kingdom 't is an aggregative compound sword and 't is moulded of Bellmettle for 't is made up of all the Ammunition and Arms small and great of all the Military strength both by Land and Sea of all the Forts Castles and tenable places within and without the whole Country The Kings of England have had this sword by vertue of their Royal Signory as the Law faith from all times the Prerogative hath girded it to their sides they have employed it for repelling of forraign force for revenging of all National wrongs or affronts for quelling all intestine tumults The people were never capable of this sword the sundamental constitutions of this Land deny 〈◊〉 them 'T is all one to put a sword in a mad mans hand as in the peoples Now under favor the Supream Governor cannot transfer this sword to any other for that were to desert the protection of his people which is point blank against his oath and office but I crave your pardon again that I have detained you so long from the pursuit of your former discourse Philanglus The King being so shut out of one Town I mean Kingston upon Hull he might suspect that an attempt might be made to shut him in within some other Therefore be made a motion to the York-shire Gentlemen to have a guard for the
the Burgesses should exceed the Knights you know Trop gran nâ—mbre est incombre Too great a number Ushers in nothing but Confusion encombrances and noise which oftentimes was so extreamly loud and obstreperous among them that as I was told they were heard at Lambeth there could not be a greater among the Oâ—ster women at Billings-Gate Now Sir there may be Tyranny in One in a Few and in many In one as in the Great Turk and indeed all the Eastern Emperors who with his breath alone without any legal processe can take any ones life away and is sole Propriator of the whole Country insomuch that the best man in Turky cannot leave one foot of land as an inheritance to his Son but it reverts to the Grand Signior Secondly There may be Tyranny in few as in the thirty men of Athens or in some Privy Councel of State Lastly there may be Tyranny in many as in some general great Convention or popular Assembly and this is the worst of all it being a rule that Plebs est pessimus Tyrannus Philanglus The late long Parliament degenerated to such a one whereof thousands of instances might be produc'd Let this one serve at present The Army had occasion to make their address to the House upon a business of a just and general concernment But the Grandees of the House answer'd That if they should read those demands they might chance to find them of that nature as they could not with justice deny them nor with honour grant them c. But herein they shew'd themselves but poor Politicians for you know it is a true Rule Arâ—â—a renenti Omnia dat qui usta negat And was it not time then for the Army to think of dismissing their Memberships But the truth is that if you go to the right rule of Parliament they had dissolv'd themselves I cannot tell how often before for besides that the Original Writ from whence they deriv'd their power was void by the Kings death how often did they rise up in confusion without adjourning the House How oft did they sit without a Speaker he being fled to the Army How many hundred ways did they break their own Priviledges What things did they do which they voted shoùld not serve for Presidents hereafter As Strafford's death and sitting on Sunday c. How many Bills were resum'd being twice ejected out of the House of Peers as those against Bishops and touching the Militia c. yet were they taken into debate again the same Session which is point blank against the very fundadamentals of Parliament How many thousand Petitions some whereof were recommended by the Lords lay mouldring in corners and were never so much as read in the House And was it not high time think you to quell this Monster or rather to pull down this Idol Truly this great prudential act of shutting up that House and the barring up of that cold Postern door in the North may well take place among those many mighty things his Highness hath done Polyander They are mighty things indeed and they are marvellous in our eyes Nor do these Isles only but every corner of the habitable Earth ring thereof nay the Sea swells high with the breath of them England may be said to be heretofore like an animal that knew not her own strength she is now better acquainted with her self for in point of Power and Treasure she did never appear so high both at home and abroad as you said before This makes France to cringe unto her so much This makes Spain to offer her peace with Indian Patacons upon any terms This makes the Hollander to dash his Colours and vail his Bonnet so low unto her This makes the Italian Princes and all other States that have any thing to do with the Sea to court her so much Though the Emperor and the Mediterranean Princes of Germany whom she cannot reach from her Gun-rooms care not much for her Now Sir among those many Heroick and difficult exploits of divers kinds which his Highness hath performed there is one Act humbly under favour may well become the greatness of his spirit It is to reach a timely hand for preserving the stutely Temple of Pauls from tumbling down and from being buried in her own rubbish a Temple which hath above a thousand yeers tugg'd with the fury of the Elements and the iron teeth of Time the goodliest pile of stones in the world take all dimensions together 'T is also the greatest and most visible ornament of this Renowned City who would look bald and as it were crest-fall'n without her a Temple that hath this singularity above all others as to be founded upon Faith having a spacious Church of that Name underneath to serve and support her I remember it was observ'd how in that disastrous expedition to the Isle of Rhe the great stones which were design'd to repair Pauls were carried away to make Ballast for Ships and for other warlike uses in that service which made some judicious Critiques of those times â—o foretel the unlucky and inglorious return we made thence Some giddy heady Puritan in reading this will presently shoot his bolt and cry out that I have a Pope in my belly but you know my Intellectuals better Philanglus I know well Sir your principles are otherwise but I concur with you in opinion that it would be a very glorious thing to atchieve such a work and one moneths Tax or two would do it or if his Highness would give way that a general contribution might be made to that purpose Other vast sums are daylie spent but little or nothing appears of them afterwards in point of effect Those monies that would be employ'd in this will leave somthing behind them viz. a glorious visible monument to all posterity which will make after ages to bless these times Polyander Such a Monumeâ—t would suit well with the grandeur of his Highness whom all Nations cry up for the Hero of the times and a special instrument design'd for great actions He would gain the applause of millions of souls hereby both at home and abroad where I have heard divers who are far from thinking any inherent holiness to odge in stones or inanimate things I say I have heard divers of the Reformed Churches sadly complain that Pauls in the case it is is the ruthfull'st spectacle upon earth But now Sir I take leave to give you serious thanks for the elaborate Relation you have been pleas'd to make me of the proceedings of that long Parliament which in lieu of redressing grievances became it self at last the greatest grievance As also of the practise and modesty of Parliaments in former times who declin'd high affairs of State specially forraign much more to arrogate to themselves the Supreme Power for Soveraignty may be said to be an indivisible way deriv'd and dâ—râ—ed from the Divine Majesty it self it cannot be divided among a multitude we never read that the people were call'd gods or the lord's anointed or nursing fâ—thers nor do â—e read of any Aristocracies or Democraciâ—s at all in the holy Scriptures Therefore I ascribe to his judgment who holds That the firmest and most câ—mpâ—ndious way of Government is when the supremacy resides in one perâ—on whom the people ought to trust by an indispensable necessity for their own advantage in steering the great Vessel of the Common-wealth with the advice of a select Council And herein a State may be compar'd to a Gally wherein some are to observe the Compass others to furl the Sâ—yls others to handle the Ropes others to rug at the Oar others to be ready â—n Arms but there is but one Pilot to sit at the Helm It is requisite also that this single Person should be attended with a visible standing veteran Army to be pay'd well and punish'd well if there be cause to awe as well as to secure the people It being the greatest soloecism that can be in Government to depend meerly upon the affections of the people for there is not such a wavering windy thing not such an humoursome and cross-grain'd animal in the world as the common people And what Authors soever either Greek or Latine have pretended to policie affirm so much There be divers modern Writers that busie their brains to prescribe rules of Government but they involve the Reader in Vniversals or rather bring him to a labyrinth of distinctions whereby they make the Art of Mastâ—ring man to be more difficult and distracted then it is in it self Philanglus SIR Touching the account you speak of that I have endeavour'd to render of the traverses that happen'd for matter of fact during the Reign of the long Parliament I have given you but cursory short touches There would be subject enough for so many Tomes as would make a Library if one should relate all But for inferences and conclusions in point of Judgement which may be drawn out of what hath been said already I leave that to be done in the close of every ones private Conscience GLoria Honorque Deo saeCLorVM In saeCVLa sVnto A Chronogram of the present Yeer and that will last till 1920. An Advertisement LEt the discerning Reader be pleas'd to know that whereas in the fore-going Conâ—erâ—nce there are some free touches at divers things happen'd in the late long Parliamâ—nt What is â—poken that way is spoken with this restrictive Rule of the Logician Non de singulis generum sed dâ— generibus singulorum It is well known there sate there as prudential and well temper'd men as England affords whose chiefest aym was the common good The former Discourse is far from meaning such Noble Patriots but only Those who having tasted the sweetness of Authority thought to immortalize that Session and make themselves perpetual Dictators FINIS
duty to study the welfare to complain of the grievances and havâ— the defects supplyed of that place foâ— which he served The Bourgesse of 〈◊〉 studied to find out something that moughâ— have aduanced the trade of Fishing He 〈◊〉 Norwich what mought have advantage the making of Stuffs He of Rye what might preserve their Harbour from being choaked up with shelfs of sands He of Taverston what might have further'd the manufacture of Kersies He of Suffolk what conduced to the benefit of cloathing the Burgesses of Cornwal what belong'd to their Stanneries and in doing this they thought to have complyed with the obligation and discharg'd the conscience of honest men without soaring to things above their reach and roving at random to treat of Universals to pry into Arcana Imperii and bring Religion to the Bar the one belonging to the chief Governour and his intern Councel of State the other to Divines who according to the erymology of the Word use to be conversant and imploy their Talent in the exercise and speculations of holy and heavenly things Polyander I am clearly of your opinion touching the two last particulars for Secrecy being the Soul of Policy matters of State should be communicated to the cognizance and deliberations of few viz. the Governor in Chief and his Privy Councel And touching Religion I do not see humbly under favour how it may quadrat with the calling of Laymen to determine matters of Divinity and discusse points of Faith But though the establishment of the House of Commons be a wholesome thing in it self I heard it censur'd beyond the Sea that there is a great incongruity in one particular which is thaâ— the Burgesses are more in number then the Knights of Shires for the Knights 〈◊〉 Shires are commonly Gentlemen weâ— born and bred and divers of them verseâ— in forraign governments as well as the Lawâ— of the Land But the Burgesses of Townâ— are for the most part all Trades-men and being bred in Corporations they are more inclining to popular governmenâ— and democracy Now these exceeding thâ—Knights in number carry all before then by plurality of voices and so puzzle the proceedings of matters But now thaâ— I have mentioned Corporations I must 〈◊〉 you that the greatest soloecism in the policâ— of this State is the number of them specially this monstrous City which is composed of nothing else but Corporations which smell ranck of little Republiques 〈◊〉 Hanses and it was a great errour in the last two Kings to suffer this Town to spreaâ— her wings so wide for she bears no proportion with the bignesse of the Island but may fit a Kingdom thrice as spacious she ingrosseth and dreins all the wealth of the Land so that I cannot compare England more properly then to a Cremona Goose in Italy where they have a way to fatten onely the heart of the Goose but in doing so they make the rest of the whole body grow leanand lank And as it was an errour so to suffer her to Monopolize the trade and riches of the land so it was in letting her gather so much strength in exercise of arms by suffering her to have such an Artillery garden and Military yard which makes me think on a speech of Count Gondamar the Spanish Embassadour who being invited by the King to see a Muster of the Citizens in St. Jame's Fields after they were gone he was ask'd by the King how hee lik'd his Citizens of Londons Truly Sir said he I have seen a company of goodly able men with great store of good arms but Sir I fear that these men will do you a mischief one day for the conceit wherewith they may be puffed up for the knowledge they have in handling their Arms may heighten their spirits too much and make them insolent My Master the King of Spain though there breaths in his Court well neer as many Souls as there are in London and though he be in perpetual War with some or other yet iâ— his Court he is so peaceable that one shall see no sign of War at all hee suffers not any armed men to strut under his nose there is neither Artillery Garden or Military yard there at all but onely a feâ— Partisians that guard his body therefore as I said before these men may do you Majesty an ill turn one day and whether Gondamar was a Prophet herein or no judge you But I pray Sir be pleased to dispense with me for these interruptions give to your former discourse touching Parliaments Philanglus Having formerly spoken something of the Original duty and power of the Great Councel of the Kingdom with the Primitive institution of the House of Commons I will proceed now to that grand question Where the Supream Legislative Power resides Certainly if we examine the Writs of Summons for both Houses with the Bodies and Titles of our ancient Acts of Parliament we shall find the Supremacy and power of making Laws to rest in the King or Governour in chief Now when the Parliament is stiled the Supream Court it must be understood properly of the King sitting in the house of Peers in person and but improperly of the Lords without him It is granted that the consultative directive or deliberativâ— paâ—er is in the House of Peers the performing and consenting power in the house of Commons but the Legislative powers lodgeth in the person of the King for Parliaments are but his productions they derive their being from the breath of his Writs He as Sir Edward Cook doth positively affirm is Capâ—t Principum finis He is the head he is the beginning and ending the Alpha and Omega of Parliaments Polâ—ander But some affirm that the legislative power is in the two Houses and that they are above the King Philanglus The difference 'twixt the King or Supream Magistrate and the Parliament is this that the one represents God the other the people 'T is true as I said before the consultative power is in Parliament and 't is but by the Kings permission the commanding power resides stil in the chief Governor and is inseparable from him the results and productions of Parliament at best are but Bills 't is the Kings breath makes them Laws till then they are but dead things they are like matches unfired 't is the King that gives life and light unto them The Lords advise the Commons consenâ— but the King ordains they mould the Bills but the King makes them Laws therefore they are ever after called the Kings Laws the Kings Judgments The Lords c. have the Indicatif part but the King the Imperatif the liberties also of the people flow all from him for Magna Charta begins thus Henry by the grace of God Know ye that We of our meer and free will have given these liberties in the self same stile runs Charta de foresta The Statute of Marlborough 52. Henry the third runs thus The King hath made these Acts Ordinances and Statutes which
up much less their own native King yet they made a sacrifice of him afterwards for a summe of money Whereupon Bellieure the French Embassador being convoyed by a troop of Scots horse to such a stand in lieu of larges to the said Troopers he drew out half a Crown piece and asked them how many pence that was they answered thirty pence he replied for so much did Judas betray his Master and so hurld them the half Crown Polyander But afterwards the Scots carried themselves bravely by sending a gay Army under D. Hamilton to assist the King Polyander Touching that Presbyterian Army the bottom of its design is not known to this day and I was told that when the King heard of it and that Himilton was in the head of it he should say Then I expect but little good to be done for me Polyander Certainly the routing of that Army was a glorious exploit of the Lord Protector that now is his forces not amounting to the third part of the Scots Philanglus It was certainly a very heroik Achivement as also was the battail of Dunbar where the Scots had greater advantages far of him which two exploits deserve to be engraven in large Letters of Gold in the Temple of immortality and transmitted to after ages For hereby he did more then Roman Emperours or after them the Saxon Danish Norman and English Kings could ever do to conquer that craggy Country and make England Scot-free ever hereafter But before I have done with this unlucky Nation I will give you a touch of those visible Judgments which have fallen upon them so thick one upon the neck of another in few years more then fell upon the Jews in forty First there happened the greatest plague in Edenburgh that ever was in that Country for in less then a twelve-month the Town was peopled with new faces the Pestilence having swept away almost all the old There have been above 2000 Witches arraigned and executed there within these few years After the routing of D. Hamilton and the battail of Dunbar with that at Worcestâ—r many thousands of that Nation have been bought and sold in quality of slaves to be banished and sent over to forraign Plantations what numbers of them were starved and buried before they were dead And what is now become of their hundred and ten Kings and their Crown which I heard them brag was more weighty as having more Gold in it then the English and for their Government they are reduced to be as pure a subordinate providence and subject to the will of the Conqueror as ever Country was Polyander I must tell you also that they have lost much of their repute abroad but if I were worthy to be heard by the Lord Protector I would make a motion that his Highnesse would take in at least all the Land 'twixt Barwick and Edenburgh into the English Pale and impose a new name upon it for an Eternal mark of Conquest and for enlargeing the Skirts of England But Sir it is time for you now under favour to return to London and know what the Paraliment doth Philanglus There are all Artifices used to make the King odious and both the Press and the Pulpit joyn in the work new distinctions are coyned that though he was Gods â—nynted yet he was mans appointed That he had the Commanding but not the Disposing power That he was set to Rule but not to overâ—rule us That he was King by humane choice not by Divine Charter That he was not King by the Grace of God but by the suffrage of the people That hee had no implicit trust or peculiar property in any thing that populus â—st potior Rege that Grex Lege Lex Rege potentior That the King is singulis major but universis minor Lastly that he was but a Creature and production of the Parliamentâ— c. Moreover all Artifices are used to raise money The first way that the Parliament used after a Royal Subsidy of 400000 l. was to poll us then they went on to clip and shave us and had they continued longer they had fallen a flâ—ying of us They lighted on no lesse then twenty severall ways to get money above board whatsoever they got below Polemoney and the Royal Subsidy were the first two 3. Free Loans and Contributions upon the publick Faith which swelled to an incredible sum 4. The Irish Adventures for sale of Lands the first and second time 5. The general Collection for relief of the distressed Protestants in Ireland to which use the Hollanders sent over in mony and Corn neer upon 50000 l. and the Eâ—glish Collections came to neer four times so much so that in all both Collections amounted to above 200000 l. sterling and yet not ten thousand pound not the twentieth part was employed to the right use 5. They grew so hungry for money that they impos'd the weekly meal 6. The City Loan after the rate of five Subsidies 7. A particular Assessement for bringing in our dear Brethren the Scots 8. The five and twentieth part 9. The weekly Assessment for the Lord Generals Army 10. The weekly Assessement for Sir Tho. Fairfax Army 11. The weekly Assessement for the Scots Army 12. The weekly Assessement for the British Army in Ireland 13. The weekly Assessement for the Lord of Manchesters Army 14. The Kings Queens and Princes Revenues 15. Sequestrations and plunder by Committee 16. Compositions with Delinquents and fines which came to sums passed all understanding 17. That â—utch Devil the Excise 18. Fortification money 19. Bishops Deans and Chapters Lands To this may be added the Ship Sancta Clara valued in money and Merchandize at 800â—0 l. sterling which was detain'd at Southampton for reparation of those damages that some English Merchants had received by the Spaniard as it was declared in the House but not a farthing thereof was imployed to that use notwithstanding that many with expence of time and coin did solicit for the same and lastly the Houshold stuff of the King Queen Prince and others whereof some small proportion was allotted for payment of the Arrears of the Kings poor Servants but they were to advance two in the pound be fore-hand before they could be admitted to any Divident and t is incredible what jugling there was used in that business for some receaved nothing thereby but loss upon loss Nay they took away moneys given to repair Churches and in some places robb'd the very Lazaretto Polyander Sure these vast sums must amount to a huge mass of money money enough to have pourchas'd half a dozen Kingdoms instead of purging one Touching that Duâ—ch Devill you speak of the Excise I remember Sir Dudley Carleton when he was Secretary of State did but name it in one Parliament and it was such a Bugbear abominable word that he was called to the Barr and hardly escap'd going to the Tower though he made use of it to no ill sense But was there no account
hand the pourport whereof onely was that the King would releeve their necessities they desired the intercession of my Lord Craven herein but he with a civil Complement declined the business for he was not fit to do them service because as he said he was neither Courtier nor Servant to the King Hereupon Faulkner being offended both with King and Craven in a passion said as 't was proved This it is to follwo a thing called King dam me I 'le to England and do all the mischiefe I can Being come to London he forg'd another Petition wherein there were scandalous words against the Parliament viz. That they were barbarous inhumane villains Then going with a Confident of the Parliaments who fed him with Money to go on in his design He made an Affidavit upon Oath that the foremention'd Officers at Breda shewed this very Petition to the Lord Craven who read it and delivered it to the King both which was damnably false As soon as this Deposition was reported to the House they presently voted a Confiscation of all the Lord Cravens Estate He being then neer upon a thousand miles off in Germany and no soul appearing for him nor could any on his behalfe procure a Copy of Faulkners deposition Craven having notice herof he sent a most humble Petition to the Parliament declaring his innocence which Petition was sent in the Dutch Ambassadours Packet who delivered it accordingly but it was denied to be read in the House because there was none present who could testifie they did see the Lord Craven subscribe it He sent afterwards another Petition but it was seven Months before it could be read in the House In the mean time his estate had been sequestred his woods cut down and other spoils done His Agents here to invalidate the Affidavit of Faulkner indited him of Perjury which was clearly proved in open Court and the original Petition was produced which was written by Faulkner himselfe wherein there was not one syllable that spoke of the Parliament There was legal proofe also made that Craven had nothing to do with that Petition This Inditement of perjury being found against Faulkner by the grand Jury the Parliament was informed therewith yet neretheless a Bill passed for sale of the Lord Cravens Estate and Surveyors sent accordingly to the Country Faulkner being thus convicted of Perjury it was prov'd also in Court what a nefarious Atheistical and most wicked fellow he was both in his words and actions how he had nothing more common in his mouth then dam me blood and wounds and buggering of his Soul to Hell It was proved that at Petersfield he drank a health to the Divel and that he should say our Saviour was a Bastard and but a Carpenters son carrying a basket of tools after his Father The Parliament was acquainted with all this and divers earnest and sedulous applications that possibly could be made were used but nothing would prevail The Lord Craven finding the House so inexorable and obdurate rather then so fair an Estate should bee canconiz'd and squandred into so many hands he proposed by way of humble Petition that the House would punish him by way of pecuniary mulct and there were two able Knights attending the Door ready to undertake the payment thereof which motion the Lord General now Lord Protectâ—r did most nobly advance yet all would not do but the Surveys of the Estate being return'd the Bill of Sale was compleated and some of the Members of the House stepp'd in with the first to buy the flour of his Lands to the value of 6000 l. per annum as appears by the contracts made at Drury House in their own names That goodly house at Causam near Redding being in excellent repair was bought by some who for greedy lucre and gain utterly defac'd it they pull'd down the Wainscot Stair-cases Lead Iron and all other materials about the House which had cost above 20000 l. yet they gave the Common-wealth but little above 1500 l in monies for it the price of Debentets therein also included Polyander Truly Sir it was one of the hardest peeces of injustice I ever heard of that such a Princely Estate for I heard by divers that had the Lord Craven injoy'd it to this day it would have amounted to above 20000 l. per annum a Revenue that I know some Soveraign Princes come short of I say it was a sad thing that by the single testimony of one man and he such a perjur'd notorious villain as it was apparently proved such an Estate should be destroy'd Philanglus A sad thing indeed but besides those pregnant proofs which were produc'd and made good in open Court that abhominable wretch being lately upon his death bed in the Kings Bench confess'd all under his hand and what monstrous wrong he had done the Lord Craven But I will proceed now to the other Instance I promis'd you The unlucky War 'twixt King and Parliament being begun about the Commission of Array the City of Exceter was beleaguer'd by Sir T. Fairfax which at last rendred her self upon Article it chanc'd Sir Jo. Sâ—awel was then in the Town A full agreement being made the Capitulations sign'd and seal'd and the place yeelded Sir John came to London in due time to reap the benefit of the Articles which were solemnly confirm'd and ratified by both Houses of Parliament Now two of those Articles were that no Oath Covenaâ—t Protestation or Subscription should be impos'd upon any person compriz'd within those Articles but onely such as should bind them from bearing Arms for the future against the Parliament 2. That all persons compriz'd in those Articles having made such a subscription should be admitted to a moderate Composition which was not to exceed two yeers value of any mans real estate c. Sir John Stawel having subscrib'd accordingly and brought a Copy of his Subscription as also a fair Certificate from Sir Tho. Fairfax that he was compriz'd in Exon Articles made his addresse to Goldsmiths Hall and producing the said Certificate and Subscription He Petition'd that hee might be admitted to compound according to Article The Commissioners answered that hee was not capable of Composition unlesse he would take the Covenant and Negative Oath whereunto he modestly replâ—'d that there was no Article for that but rather è contrario whereupon hee was not onely barr'd of his Composition but he was sent Prisoner to Ely house Afterwards by the sole order of the House of Commons he was committed to Newgate for high Treason in levying War against the Parliament where he continued almost four yeers in which time he was several times iâ—dited of Treason and twice arraign'd at the K. Bench Bar for his life Then was he remov'd from Newgate to the Tower and kept close Prisoner whence hee was several times convented before the High Court of Justice which had been newly erected who after many daies trial would neither sentence him nor acquit him but