my Guilt If your Lordships will conceive of my Defences as they are in themselves without reference to either and I shall endeavour so to present them I hope to go away from hence as clearly justified as I am now in the testimony of a good conscience by my self My Lords I have all along my Charge watched to see that poysoned Arrow of Treason that some men would sain have to be feathered in my Heart and that deadly Cup of Wine that hath so intoxicated some petty misalleaged Errors as to put them in the Elevation of High Treason but in truth it hath not been my quickness to discern any such Monster yet within my Breast though now perhaps by a sinistrous Information sticking to my Clothes They tell me of a two-fold Treason one against the Statute another by the Common-Law this direct that consecutive this individual that accumulative this in it self that by way of construction For the first I must and do acknowledge that if I had the least suspicion of my own guilt I would spare your Lordships the pains cast the first Stone at my self and pass Sentence of condemnation against my self And whether it be so or not I refer my self to your Lordships Juâ—gment and Declaration You and only you under the favour and protection of my gracious Master are my Judges under favour none of the Commons are my Peers nor can they be my Judges I shall ever celebrate the Providence and Wisdom of your noble Ancestors who have put the Keys of Life and Death so far as concerns you and your Posterity into your own hands not into the hands of your inferiours None but your own selves know the rate of your noble Blood none but your selves must hold the Ballance in dispensing the same I shall proceed in repeating my Defences as they are reduceable to these two main points of Treason and for Treason against the Statute which is the only Treason in effect nothing is alleaged for that but the fifteenth two and twentieth and twenty seventh Articles Here he brought the sum of all his Replies made to these three Articles before and almost in the same words as before only that testimony of Sir Henry Vane's because it seemed pressing he stood upon it and alleaged five Reasons for the nullifying thereof First That it was but a single testimony and would not make Faith in a matter of Debt much less in a matter of Life and Death yea that it was expresly against the Statute to impeach much less to condemn him upon High Treason under the testimony of two famous Witnesses Secondly That he was dubious in it and exprest it with an as I do remember and such or such like Words Thirdly That all the Councel of eight except himself disclaim the words as if by a singular providence they had taken hold of his Ears only Fourthly That at that time the King had levied no Forces in Ireland and therefore he could not be possibly so impudent as to say to the King that he had an Army there which he might imploy for the reducing this Kingdom Fifthly That he had proved by Witnesses beyond all exceptions Marquess Hamilton the Lord Treasurer the Earl of Northumberland Lord Cottington Sir William Pennyman and Sir Arthur Terringham that there was never the least intention to land those Forces in England He went on So much for the Articles that concern Individual Treason To make up the Constructive Treason or Treason by way of Accumulation many Articles are brought against me as if in a heap of Felonies or Misdemeanors for in their conceit they reach no higher some prolifical seed apt to produce what is treasonable could lurk Here I am charged to have designed the ruin and overthrow both of Religion and State The first seemeth rather to have been used to make me odious than guilty for there is not the least Proof alleaged concerning my confederacy with the Popish-faction nor could there be any indeed never a Servant in Authority beneath the King my Master was ever more hated and maligned by those men than my self and that for an Impartial and strict executing of the Laws against them Here your Lordships may observe that the greater number of the Witnesses used against me either from Ireland or from York-shire were men of that Religion But for my own Resolution I thank God I am ready every hour of the day to Seal my disaffection to the Church of Rome with my dearest Blood But my Lords give me leave here to pour forth the grief of my Soul before you these proceedings against me seem to be exceeding rigorous and to have more of prejudice than equity that upon a supposed Charge of my Hypocrisie or Errors in Religion I should be made so monstrously odious to three Kingdoms a great many thousand Eyes have seen my Accusations whose Ears shall never hear that when it came to the upshot I was never accused of them Is this fair dealing amongst Christians But I have lost nothing by that Popular applause was ever nothing in my conceit the uprightness and integrity of a good Conscience was and ever shall be my continual Feast and if I can be justified in your Lordships judgments from this grand imputation as I hope now I am seeing these Gentlemen have thrown down the Bucklers I shall account my self justified by the whole Kingdom because by you who are the Epitomy the better part yea the very Soul and Life of the Kingdom As for my Design against the State I dare plead as much Innocency here as in matter of my Religion I have ever admired the wisdom of our Ancestors who have so fixed the pillars of this Monarchy that each of them keep a due proportion and measure with other and have so handsomly tied up the Nerves and Sinews of the State that the straining of any one may bring danger and sorrow to the whole Oeconomy The Prerogative of the Crown and the Propriety of the Subject have such mutual Relations this takes protection from that that foundation and nourishment from this And as on the Lute if any one string be too high or too lowly wound up you have lost the Harmony so here the excess of a Prerogative is oppression of pretended Liberty in the Subject Disorder and Anarchy The Prerogative must be used as God doth his Omnipotency upon extraordinary Occasions the Laws answerable to that potentia ligata in Creaturis must have place at other times And yet there must be a Prerogative if there must be extraordinary occasions the Propriety of the Subject is ever to be maintained if it go in equal pace with this They are fellows and Companions that have and ever must be inseparable in a well governed Kingdom and no way so fitting so natural to nourish and entertain both as the frequent use of Parliaments By those a commerce and acquaintance is kept betwixt the King and Subject These thoughts have gone along with me these fourteen
nothing but the Whipping-post or letting Blood can do them good or bring them remedy Vexatio tantum dabit Intellectum 't is nothing but sence will teach them Judgment and affliction Charity and both these I fear are hastning on a pace His Countenance was in a middle posture betwixt Dejection and Boldness a man may call it even Courage and Innocence it self without any fear of Criticks nor could his very Enemies through their multiplying Glasses perceive the least affectation of disguise in him never man looked Death more stately in the Face never man trembled more at his Sins such were his Contritions for his Oversights and such his immovable confidence of Gods Pardon and his Mercy His Prayer ravished all the standers by that they could not judge whether to prefer his Zeal or his Penitency yea the Primate of Ireland who is no complementer reported afterwards to the King that he had then first learned to make supplications aright to God-ward and withal told His Majesty That he had seen many die but never such a white Soul this was his own expression return to its Maker At which Words the King was pleased to turn himself about and offer a Tear to his Memory Tantorum mercede Laborum And because mis-report about him and my Lords-Grace of Canterbury hath wandred as far as Cambridge give me leave to add the Story of that mistake It was reported here by the divulgers of such slanders that a little before his death he had charged all his Misfortunes Oversights and Misdemeanors upon the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury as the prime Author and had bitterly curst the Day of their first Acquaintance A pretty Invention it was to charge the Axe again and to furnish the People with lungs and voices to cry for another Sacrifice yea to stain this Martyrs long white Robe with the Innocent blood of another Heroe O ye sons of men How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing For this cause I was the more Inquisitive to learn out the Truth of this particular and had it thus related to me by a worthy Divine Doctor Wimberly who dining with my Lord of Canterbury the day after the Earl of Strafford's Execution had it from his own mouth And my Lords-Grace it seems having heard of the mistake did at every period take the Lieutenant of the Tower then present his Attestation and Approbation That the Lord Strafford the Night before the Execution had sent for the Lieutenant of the Tower and asked him whether it were possible he might speak with the Arch-Bishop the Lieutenant told him he might not do it without order from the Parliament Mr. Lieutenant said he you shall here what passeth betwixt us it is not a time now either for him to plot Heresie or me to plot Treason The Lieutenant answered That he was limited and therefore desired his Lordship would Petition the Parliament for that favour No said he I have gotten my dispatch from them and will trouble them no more I am now petitioning an higher Court where neither partiality can be expected nor error feared But my Lord said he turning to the Primate of Ireland then present what I should have spoken to my Lords-Grace of Canterbury you shall desire the Arch-Bishop to lend me his Prayers this Night and to give me his Blessing when I do go abroad to Morrow and to be in his Window that by my last farewel I may give him thanks for this and all other his former favours The Primate having delivered the Message without delay the Arch-Bishop replyed That in conscience he was bound to the first and in duty and obligation to the second but he feared his weakness and passion would not lend him Eyes to behold his departure The next Morning at his coming forth he drew near to the arch-Arch-Bishops lodgings and said to the Lieutenant Though I do not see the Arch-Bishop yet give me leave I pray you to do my last observance toward his rooms in the mean time the Arch-Bishop advertized of his approach came out to the Window then the Earl bowing himself to the Ground my Lord said he Your Prayers and your Blessing The Arch-Bishop lift up his hands and bestowed both but overcome with grief fell to the Ground in Animi Deliquio The Earl proceeding a little farther bowed the second time saying Farwel my Lord God protect your Innocency To this relation the Lord of Canterbury added that it might perhaps seem an effeminacy and softness unbecoming him to be so cast down but he hoped by God's Assistance and his own Innocence that when he came to his own Execution which he daily longed for that the World should perceive he had been more sencible of the Lord Strafford's loss than of his own and good reason it should be so said he for the Gentleman was more serviceable to the Church he would not mention the State than either himself or any of all the Church-men had everâ—been And that there may be a slaughter-Goat for the Sins of the People in Scotland to wait upon this report they have fained another of the same Meal that the Arch Bishop of Canterbury casts back all his misdemeanors upon the Bishop of Ross as if either the Lord Strafford had been tutored by the Arch-Bishop or he by the Bishop of Ross in the King and Countrys Service I did not think that both of them had past their pupilage and could not have been bended to execute the directions of any man living but only their own Masters but this is a fair advertisement to the Bishop of Ross to make himself the scape-Goat Heu fuge nate Deo Give me leave to adjoin one thing more When he was marched to the Scaffold more like the General in the head of an Army to breath Victory than like a condemned man to undergo the Sentence of Death the Lieutenant of the Tower desired him to take Coach for fear the People should rush in upon him and tear him in pieces No said he Master Lieutenant I dare look death in the Face and I hope the People too Have you a care that I do not escape and I care not how I dye whether by the hand of the Executioner or the madness and fury of the People If that may give them better content it is all one to me It is but diminutive to call it a wonder it is something above that his thoughts and expressions should be so present with him no more putrifaction in them than if he had been about some ordinary business His Alacrity his Devotion did amaze yea tear in pieces the hearts of all those about him who had the least Grace or Humanity in them Too much Perfection indeed to be lost at one blow but this Age was not worthy of it nor shall any after Age I think ever enjoy the like that only which is possible is the object of the Will and therefore I will not endeavour to find out words for expressing
Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament at Westminster 1641. Sheweth THat seeing it is the good Will and Pleasure of God that your Petitioner is now shortly to pay that duty which we all owe to our frail Nature He shall in all Christian Patience and Charity conform and submit to that Justice in a comfortable assurance of the great hope laid up for us in the Mercy and Merits of our Saviour Blessed for ever Only he humbly craves to return your Lordships most humble thanks for your noble Compassion towards those Innocent Children who now with his last Blessing he commits to the protection of Almighty God beseeching your Lordships to finish your pious Intentions towards them and desiring that the reward thereof may be given you by him who is able to give above all that we are able either to ask or think wherein I trust the Honourable House of Commons will afford their Christian assistance And so beseeching your Lordships charitably to forgive all his omissions and infirmities he doth heartily and truly recommend your Lordships to the Mercies of our Heavenly Father that for his goodness he may protect you in every good work Amen There was a foolish ridiculous and scandalous Speech Printed which was pretended to have been spoken by the Earl of Strafford to certain Lords before his coming out of the Tower which is protested against and avowed to be false by the Lord Primate of Ireland Earl of Cleveland Earl of Newport Lord Rich Sir William Balfoure Sir William Wentworth Sir George Wentworth Dr. Carre Dr. Price De Moriuis nil nisi verum The Paper containing the Heads of the Lord Strafford 's last Speech written with his own hand as it was left upon the Scaffold falling out of his Bosom 1. Come to pay the last Debt we owe to sin 2. Rise to Righteousness 3. Dye willingly 4. Forgive all 5. Submit to justice but in my Intentions Innocent from subverting c. 6. Wishing nothing but good Prosperity to King and People 7. Acquit the King constrained 8. Beseech to Repent 9. Strange way to write the beginning of Reformation and settlement of a Kingdom in Blood 10. Beseech that demand may rest there 11. Call not blood on themselves 12. Dye in the Faith of the Church 13. Pray for it and desire their Prayers with me A true COPY of his SPEECH delivered on the Scaffold My Lord Primate of Ireland IT is my great comfort that I have your Lordship by me this day in regard I have been known to you these many years and I do thank God and your Lordship for it that you are here I should be very glad to obtain so much silence as to be heard a few words but I doubt I shall not the noise is so great My Lords I am come hither by the good will and pleasure of Almighty God to pay that last Debt I owe to Sin which is Death and by the blessing of that God to rise again through the Merits of Jesus Christ to Righteousness and Life Eternal Here he was a little interrupted Mr Lords I am come hither to submit to that Judgment which hath passed against me I do it with a very quiet and contented mind I thank God I do freely forgive all the World a forgiveness that is not spoken from the Teeth outward as they say but from the very Heart I speak it in the presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not a displeasing thought arising in me towards any man living I thank God I can say it and truly too my conscience bearing me witness that in all my Imployment since I had the Honour to serve His Majesty I never had any thing in the purpose of my heart but what tended to the joint and individual prosperity of King and People although it hath been my ill fortune to be misconstrued I am not the first that hath suffered in this kind it is the common Portion of us all while we are in this life to err Righteous Judgment we must wait for in another place for here we are very subject to be mis-judged one of another there is one thing that I desire to free my self of and I am very confident speaking it now with much chearfulness that I shall obtain your Christian Charity in the belief of it I was so far from being against Parliaments that I did allways think the Parliaments of England were the most happy constitutions that any Kingdom or Nation lived under and the best means under God to make the King and People happy For my Death I here acquit all the World and beseech the God of Heaven heartily to forgive them that contrived it though in the intentions and purposes of my heart I am not guilty of what I dye for And my Lord Primate it is a great comfort for me that His Majesty conceives me not meriting so severe and heavy a punishment as is the utmost Execution of this Sentence I do infinitely reioyce in this mercy of his and I beseech God return it into his own bosom that he may find mercy when he stands most in need of it I wish this Kingdom all the prosperity and happiness in the World I did it living and now dying it is my wish I do most humbly recommend this to every one who hears me and desire they would lay their hands upon their hearts and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happiness and reformation of a Kingdom should be written in Letters of Blood consider this when you are at your homes and let me be never so unhappy as that the last drop of my Blood should rise up in Judgment against any one of you but I fear you are in a wrong way My Lords I have but one word more and with that I shall end I profess that I dye a true and obedient Son to the Church of England wherein I was born and in which I was bred Peace and prosperity be ever to it It hath been objected if it were an Objection worth the answering that I have been inclined to Popery but I say truly from my heart that from the time that I was one and twenty years of Age to this present going now upon forty nine I never had in my heart to doubt of this Religion of the Church of England nor ever had any man the boldness to suggest any such thing to me to the best of my remembrance And so being reconciled by the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour into whose bosom I hope I shall shortly be gathered to those Eternal happinesses which shall never have end I desire heartily the forgiveness of every man for any rash or unadvised words or any thing done amiss and so my Lords and Gentlemen farewel farewel all things of this World I desire that you would be silent and Joyn with me in Prayer and I trust in God we shall all meet and live Eternally in Heaven there to receive the accomplishment of
last said he is this and I would intreat you seriously to think of it If a mans Table his Bed his House his Brother his Friends and that too after they have given an Oath of Secrecy to be Raâ—â— to find out Treason against him who never knew what it meant what earthly Man shall pass free from Treason Let my misfortune my Lords be your advertisement your wise Ancestors were glad to put bands and limits to this Lion Treason if you give him the large scope of words to range into he will at last pull you or yours all to pieces But my Lords I did never think till now that matter of Opinion should be objected as matter of Treason For first Opinions are free and Men may argue both pro and eon in all faculties without any stain of his Reputation otherwise all consultations would be vain Secondly I may be of another Judgment then I declare my self to be of opinion perhaps to gain better Arguments for the maintenance of my own Grounds Thirdly Many and my self often times have propounded my Opinion yet upon hearing better Judgments have presently changed it Fourthly We use to strain our Opinions too â—igh sometimes that we may meet in a just moderation with those whom we conceive in the other extremity to be too low Fifthly It is expresly commanded by the Stat. Hen. 6.9 That though a Man should say the King is not lawful Heir to the Crown and may be deposed yet he is not to be charged with Treason but only with Felony and I hope my Lords those words are of a more transâ—endent and superlative nature than any alleaged by me to be spoken But my Lords said he lay it to your hearts it must come to you you and your posterity are they whom God and Nature Birth and Education have fitted to beautify the Royal Throne and to sustain the weighty affairs of the Kingdom if to give your Opinions in Political Agitations shall be accounted Treason who will be willing to serve the King or what a dilemma are you in If being sworn Councellors you spake not your minds freely you are convict of perjury if you do Perhaps of Treason What detriment What Incommodity shall fall to King and Kingdom if this be permitted Which of you hereafter will adventure yea dare adventure so much as to help by your advise unless you be weary of your Lives your Estates your Posterity yea your very Honour Let me never live longer than to see this confusion yea I may say it this inhumanity in England for my part my Lords I here confess my self I ever have and ever shall spaâ—k my opinion â—ely in any thing that may concern the Honour and safety either of my gracious King or my deer Countrey though the Sword be two Edged fearing rather him that killeth the Soul than him 〈◊〉 power reacheth only to the body Nor do I see how I am culpable of Treason unless it be Treason for not being Infallible and if it be so my Lords you have this rag of mortality before you loaden with many infirmities though you pull this into shreds yet their is no great loss yea there may be a great gain if by the same I may seem to have dared to far to give a Testimony to the World of of an Innocent Conscience towards God and a Resolute loyalty towards my Prince which have ever been my only Polâ— stâ—râ— in the whole course of my life and if by spilling of mine there be not a way found how to trace out the Blood of the Nobillity which I hope your Lordships will look too there is no disadvantage at all suffered by the loss of me You have his very words as neer as I could recollect Tuesday was a day of Rest Upon Wednesday Whitlock Charged thus That the preceding Articles were of so high a consequence and of so transcendent a Nature that nothing wanted to make up the perfect measure of the most horrid Treason and monstrous Attempt that ever by a Native was intended against his King and Countrey But putting these designed projects into Execution which had undoubtedly hapned to the ruine and Subversion both of Church and State had not the clemency and goodness of the Prince and the Piety and carefulness of the well affected Peers timously foreseen and prevented the same that still the Principles of Tyranny and Oppression had lodged within his 〈◊〉 and therefore had burst forth into these expressions and advises contained in the following Articles where first in the twenty fifth they Charged him with three things First That â—e had advised the King to a rigorous and unlawful exaction of Ship-Money Secondly That he had given Councel that if the Sherifs should deny their best endeavours and assistances to that effect they should be sent for and fined by the Star-Chamber and Imprisonment Thirdly That when the Aldermen of London had in all humillity represented the Causes why the Ship-Money could not be collected amongst them and had given in the Reasons why the refused to give in a List of their names within their City who were able to afford the Loan-Money He in a contemptuous and Tyrannical manner in the face of the Councel-Board had said to the King Sir These Men because of their obstinacy and frowardness deserved very well to be fined ransomed and laid by the heels And it will never go well with your service until some of them be hanged up for examples to others The Proofs were these First The Bishop of Loden Lord Treasurer who declared that he remembred the words very well that the Lord Lieutenant had advised the King to cause the Ship Money to be gathered in but he remembred withal that both himself and all the Councel had done the like and that it was upon a present necessity and defect of Money for entertaining the Army which the condition of the times considered they all conceiued was by any means to be kept on foot Secondly Alderman Wiseman declared that upon an humble Remonstrance made to the Councel Board the City would take it ill if a Tax-role should be delivered of their Estates who were thought able for the Loan Money the Lord Strafford said they deserved to be fined Ransomeâ— and laid by the Heels but for the words of hanging them up he heard not at all Thirdly The Earl of Barkshire declared that the Lord Strafford had said that upon the refusal of such a service enjoined by the Kings Peremptory Command it was his Opinion they might be fined Fourthly Alderman Gâ—â—way attested the preceeding words and â—ithal added that the Lord Lieutenant to his best remembrance had said It were well for the Kings service if some of them were hanged up They closed the Charge That by such undutiful Expressions he had injured the propriety of the Subject and had put such discontent upon the City that they were the less willing upon any occasion to 〈◊〉 for the advantage of the Kings
came to Westminster with the number of five or six thousand having Weapons and Battoons in their hands at the entring of every Coach some cried Justice others Execution a third man told his Fellows that both were to be conjoyned and that Justice and Execution was the noble Word upon which quasi dato-signo all the Rabble cried aloud with one voice Justice and Execution with a wonderful strange noise Some went to the Coach side and told the Lords that they must and would have Justice done upon the Deputy In particular above 1000 of them beset the Lord Steward's Coach and demanded Justice and Execution of him Justice said they we have gotten already and we only desire and must have it Execution The Lord Steward replied they should have Justice and Execution and desired them only to forbear and have patience a while No said they we have had too much patience we will not suffer longer and therefore my Lord before you go from us you must grant us Execution The Lord Steward told them he was going to the House to that effect and that they should have all content But whilst they were about to detain him longer some of the greatest Power amongst them said We will take his word for once and with difficulty enough made passage for him The Lords stayed within 'till twelve of the Clock nor was there any course taken in the mean time for dissolving of the multitude the greatest part of them went home the back way by Water only when the Lord Holland Lord Chamberlain and Bristol came out to their Coach all of them called Justice and Execution but when they perceived that Bristol was in the Coach they drew near the Coach side and told him For you my Lord Bristol we know you are an Apostate from the Cause of Christ and our mortal Enemy we do not therefore crave Justice from you but shall God willing crave Justice upon you and your false Son the Lord Digby Let a man cast his Eyes back now but for some few Months past and he shall see what trust may be reposed in the favour of the giddy multitude unless a man shall resolve to quit all Religion and Honesty and to mould and fashion his Conscience to the present distemper and fancy of the people neither can he do so safely when so much hazard lies in the Inconstancy of their Conceptions After this they drew up all the Names of those either in the House of Commons or the House of Lords whom they imagined to favour the Lieutenant and gave them the Title of Straffordians with this close That all those and all other Enemies to the Common-wealth should perish with him and did post up the Paper at the Gate of Westminster as if the old Democracy of Rome and the Tribunitial Power thereof in Cippo proscribere were now renewed and revived A Copy of the Paper posted up at the corner of the Wall of Sir William Brunkard's House in the Old Palace-Yard in Westminster Monday May 3. 1641. The Names of the Straffordians posted 1. Lord Digby 2. Lord Compton 3. Lord Buckhurst 4. Sir Robert Hatton 5. Sir Thomas Fanshaw 6. Sir Edward Alford 7. Sir Nicholas Slanning 8. Sir Thomas Danby 9. Sir George Wâ—ntworth 10. Sir Peter Wentworth 11. Sir Frederick Cornwallis 12. Sir William Carnaby 13. Sir Richard Winn. 14. Sir Carvis Clifton 15. Sir William Withrington 16. Sir William Pennyman 17. Sir Patrick Curwent 18. Sir Richard Lee. 19. Sir Henry Slingsby 20. Sir William Portman 21. Mr. Garvis Hollis 22. Mr. Sydney Godolphin 23. Mr. Cooke 24. Mr. Coventry 25. Mr. Benjamin Weston 26. Mr. William Weston 27. Mr. Selden 28. Mr. Alford 29. Mr. Floyd 30. Mr. Herbert 31. Captain Digby 32. Serjeant Hide 33. Mr. Taylor 34. Mr. Griffith 35. Mr. Scowen 36. Mr. Bridgeman 37. Mr. Fettâ—plass 38. Dr. Turner 39. Captain Charles Price 40. Dr. Parry Civilian 41. Mr. Arundell 42. Mr. Newport 43. Mr. Hâ—lbâ—râ— 44. Mr. Noell 45. Mr. â—irâ—on 46. Mr. Pollard 47. Mr. Price 48. Mr. Travanniâ—n 49. Mr. Jane 50. Mr. Edgerombe 51. Mr. Chiâ—â—eley 52. Mr. Maltery 53. Mr. Porter 54. Mr. White Secret E. D. 55. Mr. Warwick This and more shall be done to the Enemies of Justice afore-written Nor stayed they here one of them in the height of his fury cryed out Hornesco Referens if we get not satisfaction of the Lieutenant we will have it of the King or as some say worse If we have not the Lieutenant's life we will have the King 's Oh impious Mouth Oh un-natural Miscreant This Man was marked by a Gentleman of the Inns of Court and four or five requested by him to bear witness of the Words Nor did he stay here but the Gentleman with fidelity and courage enough went to the fellow and kindly invited him to drink a Pint of Wine the Fellow suspecting nothing went along with him but in the mean time he sent for a Constable in whose hearing he asked how he durst speak such Words as those he like a mad-man replied That he would maintain them Whereupon he was apprehended by the Constable and committed to the Gate-house where he was three or four times examined yesternight some report that he freely confessed his Words and withall threatned to shew great Authority for them even within the Gates of the Court This day I hear little of him but some say the business will be slubber'd over with this That he said only If we get not satisfaction of the Lieutenant we will go to the King And it is likely this will be the Issue of the business lest this zeale should be quenched in the breeding and beginning whose surcharge and excess is laudable yea necessary in a time of Reformation Add to this that if this man should suffer it might settle and calm the forwardness of the people before the whole business be ended about the Earl of Strafford They have further threatned that after Wednesday they will shut up their shops and never rest from petitioning till not only the Liuetenants matter but also all things else that concern a Reformation be fully perfected The house of Commons sat all that day Monday till 8 at â—ight nor were they Idle all that time but brought forth that Protestation or band of Association as they term it which is now in print it was then drawn up and without further process or delay before they came out subscribed by the whole House except the Lord Digby and an Uncle or Friend of his It is thought by some whose heads are not green that it is very like a Covenant in Scotland but that must be left to further time and wiser heads if that Comment that perhaps will follow be not worse then the â—ext it may in probability happen out to be canonical enough but the too general Phrase in it lyes very open to have sences pro re natâ— thrust upon them which may be very justly suspected to have been intended where
times or help our patience and Resolutions give us either redress in thee or confidence in thee The wiser sort conceived these two Bills too big for them to desire at once and that both of them together might procure a flat denial but the more couragious knew the readier way by far having often had experience of his Majesties readiness to grant just desires resolving that he that expects to lose the day is beaten at his own diffidence and it is the quality of some men to swallow Camels upon a sudden who if you give them leisure will perchance strain at a Gnat. Their Resolutions may aim at this but despair to remedy that Nature gives the reason Omne agens se exercet intra spharam Activitatis Dangers if they come but stragling upon us we may collect our spirits well enough and easily resist them but if they come by whole troops Amazment and Fear admits of no consultation for the future but only intends to decline the present and pressing hazard whereon the ancient Gaâ—ls made their first on-sets with valour beyond the courage of men and with feareful cryings and shouts belying their own Animosity to stupify and quell that of the enemy Sunday All the day the King was resolute never to give way to the Bill against the Lord Strafford telling them withal that it seemed strange to him that the man could not dy unless he and he only by giving Sentence the Kings Legislative way should condemn him The Lord Pembrook brought the King a piece of Scripture 2 Sam. 19. from the 5 to the 9 verse the words indeed became a Joab rather than himself till he had scattered the force of the Kings not eldest Son yet eldest Daughter the Kingdom of Scotland here is some Analogy with Absalom and in nothing else for David was sorry for shedding the nocent they not sorry for shedding the Innocent blood though the Issue be not the same Four Bishops were sent for by the King the Primate of Ireland the Bishop of Durham Lincoln and Carlile Some say and I do rather believe it that the King was desirous the Bill should be voiced again and argued the Bishops had their suffrages in the admission though not in the approbation of the Bill others think in regard the Primate was there who had no Interest in this Kingdom it was to resolve the Kings Conscience for my part I see not how they should do this seeing the business was grounded upon a case in Law which none of them unless the Bishop of Lincoln had learned when he was Lord Keeper could possibly discuss for if the King was tender in it how could they persuade him to give way if not what needed their Resolution But it may be that they persuaded him that in conscience he might prefer the Opinion of the Judges before his own and that if though with some reluctation they thought upon their Oaths the Proceedings to be lawful he might give way to them This is not unlikely because the Judges were sent for the same time and it seems for the same Service and if it be so I admire and adore too the wonderful providence of God who in his preparatory Act to this unlawful Judgment which undoubtedly will follow suffers not only the King and the Country but the Church too as if her Cup were not yet full to be involved But could this be to the matter of Fact the King I am sure knew him to be free from any the least intention of subverting the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom and could the Bishops satisfie this scruple too it may be they are persuaded that the Proofs might be taken Implicitly from the House of Commons as the Law from the Judges It is reported indeed that they besought the King with many Tears to give way and that to prevent the ruin of the Kingdom which these Statesmen who will be ever content with the longest life for themselves 'till by piece-meal they be thrust from all did see would necessarily follow Well I dare Prophesie to them they shall not want their Reward neither from the King nor People for the next tumult of people shall be against their Liturgies Surplices and Church-Ornaments And seeing they have now over-persuaded the King in this if they can procure him then to protect themselves from those imminent dangers which hang over their heads they shall do a miracle Sed quos perdere vult Jupiter dementat Some body else will persuade the King that to satisfie the common People and to prevent the Ruin of the Kingdom Bishopricks Deans Prebends and all Cathedrals must down Sed omen avertat Deus optimus Sunday all day nothing sounded in the King's Ears but fears terrors and threatnings of worse and worse the noise of Drums and Trumpets were imagined to be heard of rebelling People from every corner of the Kingdom yea Apprentices Coblers and Fruiterers presented themselves as already running into the King's Bed-Chamber After they they had wrestled him breathless and as they do with great Fishes given him scope of Line wherein to spend his strength at last victus dedit manus being overcome with such uncessant Importunities he yielded up the Buckler And about Nine of the Clock at Night oh deplorable necessity of the times or rather oh the frailty of human Nature that can neither foresee nor sustain this necessity the King promised to Sign both the Bills the next Morning which was accordingly done and a Commission drawn up for his I do not care in what Relation you take the word Execution Ingentes Curae stupent loquuntur leves Though I had resolved with the Painter who could not express his Grief sufficiently in weeping for his Daughter here to have drawn the Curtain yet it will not be something must overflow Consider the Gentleman as a Man his Judgment Memory Eloquence real Perfections in this age of appearances consider him as a Subject his Loyalty his Courage his Integrity to King and Country in these disloyal and faint-hearted times consider him as a Christian his love to the Church his respect to Church-men in this prophane and over-weaning Generation let Worth Honesty and Religion weep his Funerals who suffers for all and yet by all yea as an Enemy to all these talk not hereafter to me of Justice Equity or Conscience they are but Names and those scornful and empty Names too It is Power Faction and Interest that are the managers of human Affairs and sways the times I defie all History to furnish us with the like Parallel of a man accused by his Country by reason of his noble and eager desires to maintain them in plenty and reputation convicted by the Church for his actual performance and serious intention to restore both the Dignities and Revenues thereof his Prince even forced to condemn him after his integrity to persuade due obedience and to protect Royal Authority Happy yea thrice happy he whose Innocence was wedded to