to be Surprized and having timely Notice they absented themselves from the House The Commons Vote against the putting it in Execution whereupon the Commons Voted the same day That if any Persons shall attempt to Seize the Persons or Papers of any Parliament Men such Members shall require the Aid of the Constable to Secure such Persons till further order of the House and that it is Lawful for any Person to Assist the said Members and that the said Members may stand upon their Guard and make Resistance according to the Protestation for Defence of Priviledges of Parliament HEREUPON the King charges the Lord Kimbolton and the Five Members with several Articles and acquaints Both Houses The Lord Kimbolton and five Members Impeached of High-Treason by the King That He did intend to prosecute them for High-Treason and required That their Persons might be Secured The Day after the King went to the House of Commons and sitting in the Speaker's Chair He viewed the House round and perceived the Birds He aimed at were flown for having Warning they had with-drawn into London Whereupon He tells them That He came to look for those Five Members whom He had Accused of High-Treason and was resolved to have them where-ever He found them and expected to have them sent to Him as soon as they should come to the House But would not have them think that this Act of His was any Violation of Parliament THOUGH the King took only the Palsgrave with Him The King 's coming in person to the House of Commons is Voted a Breach of their Priviledge and Scandals raised c. and the Gentlemen of His Ordinary Retinue Yet this Act of the King 's was so highly resented by the House that the next Day the Commons voted it a Breach of Priviledge and Scandals were raised in the City that He intended Violence against the House of Commons and came thither with Force to Murther several Members and used Threatning Speeches against the Parliament With which the City was so possessed that unusual Guards and Watches were set as if some desperate Assault were to be made upon the City And then the Houses publish a Declaration that whosoever shall Arrest any Member of Parliament by Warrant from the King only is guilty of the Breach of Priviledges of Parliament And likewise That all those who attended the King when He came to demand the Five Members were guilty of a Traiterous Designe against the King and Parliament That the Proclamation for Apprehending and Imprisoning the said Members was False Scandalous and Illegal and not of Validity enough to hinder them from Attending the House And that the Publishing of the several Articles of High-Treason was a Breach of Priviledge wherefore they intreat His Majesty to discover the Names of those Informers and Evil Counsellors declaring all such Persons to be Publick Enemies to the State AND now what they had been so long aiming at came to pass for Petitions came crowding from all Parts to put the Kingdome in a Posture of Defence as they termed the Arming of Their Party and Dis-arming all Those whose Loyalty obliged them to adhere to the King And though His Majesty before this unlucky Accident happened out of a Transcendant Goodness The Earl of Warwick made Vice-Admiral in the Room of Sir John Pennington Sir Thomas Glemham Removed Sir John Hotham made Governour of Hull upon their Desires dis-placed Two Lieutenants of the Tower committed the Fleet to the Earl of Warwick as Vice-Admiral removing Sir John Pennington and put out Sir Thomas Glemham from the Government of Hull and put it into the Hands of Sir John Hotham who both unfortunately to himself and the whole Kingdom made His Majesty an ill Requital for His Trust But still this was not Satisfactory and though He had granted them all they could have defired they would hardly have been contented AND now such Tumults and Numbers of the Rabble dayly flocked to Westminster and Whitehal and being Countenanced by the Impeached Members and their Adherents grew so Insolent that the King doubting of their Intentions The Tumults Illegal Proceedings of the Commons make the King retire to Hampton-Court thought fit to withdraw to Hampton-Court taking with Him the Queen Prince and Duke of York where His Retinue and Guards was soon considerably Augmented by the Accession of the Gentry from all Parts THE next Day the Five Members were Conducted in Tryumph to Westminster The 5. Members brought to the Parliament in Great Tryumph c. by great Numbers of the Citizens and Seamen with Hundreds of Boats and Barges with Guns in them shouting hollowing and Insulting as they passed by White-hall and at Westminster welcomed them with an Harangue as if they came from performing some Glorious Action in the Service of the Nation AND now the Commons move the Lords to joyn with them to Petition the King to leave the Militia at their Disposal The Commons petition for the Militia and Tower to be put into then Hands c. as likewise the Command of the Tower But they not Complying the House of Commons singly of themselves request the King To put Them into the Hands of the Parliament but the King not thinking fit to part with the Main Support of His Throne did however make them such Gracious Replyes as would have satisfyed all reasonable Men. THERE was a Rumour that the Parliament designed to Impeach the Queen of High-Treason The Queen goes for Holland upon a designed Impeachment whereupon She provides against the Danger and prevails with the King That She might accompany Her Eldest Daughter the Princess of Orange into Holland and the King seeing Things grow worse and worse consented to it and Attended them to the Sea-side and saw them go on Board for Holland and having ordered the Prince to wait His Returns at Greenwich did thereby prevent His Surprize which had the King staid a Quarter of an Hour longer had been effected they having designed Him for an Hostage and Security against all Cross Events THE Parliament having again Petitioned for the Militia The King's Answer to the Common's Petition the King sends them an Answer That He is willing to condescend to all the Proposals concerning the Militia of the Counties and the Persons mentioned but not of London and other Corporations whose Government in that Particular He thought it neither Justice nor Policy to alter but would not consent to Divest Himself of the Power of the County-Militia for an Indefinite Time but for some Limited Space THIS Answer not being Satisfactory and the Breach growing dayly wider He Removes from London to Theobalds Royston c. the King thought it not safe to stay in These Parts but Removed to Theobalds Royston and so to York But on His Way He received a Petition demanding the Militia more resolutely than before affirming That in Case of Denyal the Imminent Dangers would constrain them to
President that might be of such dangerous Consequence But the Factious Spirits knowing that as long as His Head was upon His Shoulders it would be impossible for them to Compass their Designs procured and stirred up the Rabble in a most insolent and tumultuary manner The Rabbles Tumult and Madness against the Earl c. to come down to the Parliament Houses and Cry for Justice It was in vain for the Lords to Complain of the Force that was offered and the violation of the Freedom of Parliament The Commons took no Notice of it insomuch that the Mobile being hereby encouraged proceeded to that point of Insolence as to post up such Members of the House of Commons as had Voted against the Bill of Attainder and Stigmatizing them with the Name of Straffordians as they did likewise to the Lords who had done the same threatning that these and All other Enemies of the Common-Wealth should Perish with Him bawling out Justice and Execution nay One of the Rabble was heard to say If we have not the Lieutenant's Life we will have the King 's The Lords being thus Terrified absented themselves from the House insomuch that there was not half the Number when the Bill passed and of those then present but Seven more for it than those that were against it The King used His utmost endeavours to overcome the Difficulties of signing the Bill But at length through the importunities of those who were continually telling him how requisite it was for Him to please the People and perpetually Alarmed Him with the Apprehensions of an eminent Rebellion but most especially by the generous Request of the Earl Himself who thus concluded in a Letter to the King Sir The Earl of Strafford's Letter to the King To set Your Majesties Conscience at Liberty I do most humbly beseech You for the preventing of such Mischiefs as may happen by Your Refusal to pass the Bill by this means to remove Praised be God I cannot say this Accursed but this Unfortunate thing forth of the way towards that blessed Agreement which God I trust shall for ever Establish between You and Your Subjects My Consent herein shall more acquit You to God than all the World can do besides to a willing Man there is no Injury done I say The Bill passed by Commission principally by this Generous Request His Majesty was prevailed upon to pass it by Commission and therein to do an Action contrary to the Sentiments of His own Conscience and which as Himself tells Us Lay heavy upon Him to His last Breath HE gave likewise at the same time another Commission to several Lords to pass another Bill for continuing the Parliament A Bill passed for the Parliaments sitting during their own Pleasure during the pleasure of both Houses which Act of His was the main Foundation of our Subsequent Ruine and the Chief Engine the Malecontents made use of to bring upon the Kingdom those Desolations and Horrous that so long Afflicted it tho He designed it as a Means to Re-instate Himself in the Affections of His People and to remove the very Root of all those Fears and Jealousies which are so uneasy both to Prince and People But what were the Returns they made to all these Unparalelled Acts of Grace and Condescentions to please His People they made Great Vows indeed and Protestations of their Loyalty Duty and Sincerity of their Intentions for the Good of the King and Kingdom and that their main Aim was to render Him the Most Glorious Prince that ever sat upon the English Throne but how different their Designs were from their Words the Sequel made but too Apparent THE Fall of that Great Man the Earl of Strafford so startled several other of the Principal Officers of State Many principal Officers resign their Places upon the Earl of Strafford's Death that many of them resigned their Places About the same time some Discontents arose between the Parliament and the English Army in the North but a while after both Armies were Disbanded The payment of Tonnage and Poundage had been much Questioned since 1628. But now the King at the request of the Commons was content to relinguish His Right to it and afterwards passed a Bill for Pole-Money and two others for putting down the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts And Four Dayes after the English and Scoth Armies were Disbanded the King went towards Scotland notwithstanding all the endeavours and allegations of the Presbyterian Faction in England to hinder that Journey But seeing the King resolute to keep His Word with the Scots being unwilling to disoblige them who seemed Zealous for His Majesties Presence among them they used their utmost Efforts to obtain a Vice-Roy a Creature of their own who in the King's absence might give the Royal-Assent to such Acts as they had then in Hand But upon His Majesties Assurances that His stay there should be very short this hopeful Project was strangled in the Birth THE King was received in Scotland with great Testimonies of Affection by that Nation His Majesty goes for Scotland and Conferred several Places of Honour and Power upon divers of them confirming likewise the Treaty between the two Nations by Act of Parliament assenting to whatever they offered and indeed passed so many Acts of unparalelled Bounty Grace and Condescention as extorted from them the Revival and Confirmation of an Act of their Parliament which they caused to be solemnly published throughout the Realm The Scots Parliament publish a Loyal Act. That it should be damnable and detestable Treason in the highest Degree for any of the Scots Nation conjunctly or singly to levy Arms or any Military Forces upon any Pretext whatsoever without the King 's Royal Commission But the Presbyterians as if their Tenets and Consciences were fuller of Abominations than the Romanists and Jesuits did with as little Tenderness of Conscience not long after violate this promise as if no such thing had ever been made and have made it appear to all the World that No Laws not even of their own making have any Obligation or Power over them to restrain them from a tempting opportunity to Rebel DURING His Majesties abode in Scotland The Rebellion in Ireland there broke out in Ireland a most horrible and notorious Rebellion and which was managed with such Secresy that it was not discovered till the Night before it was to have been put in Execution The great Massacre of 200000. which was in divers Places carried on with such Fury that Two Hundred Thousand English Men Women and Children were in a short time barbarously Murdered by all manner of most Cruel Torments that their Devilish Minds could invent Many were the Conjectures about the Occasion of this Conspiracy but tho the Parliament endeavoured all they could to asperse the Reputation and blast the Honour of His Sacred Majesty and to that intent charged Him with that Rebellion whereas indeed they themselves
had principally occasioned that Rebellion by opposing and refusing to Consent to the Transportation of those Forces which His Majesty had Granted to the King of Spain For at the Disbanding of the Irish Army He had engaged the Word and Honour of a King to the Three Spanish Ambassadours here then at this Court that they should have the Liberty to Transport such Troops of the Irish Nation as were willing to take Service under their Master and accordingly they Contracted not only with the Officers and Souldiers but had advanced Money and hired Ships for their Transportation But this being represented to the Parliament tho the Lords seemed incâ—mable to comply with it yet the Commons who industriously opposed whatever His Majesty pretended to do without their Advice absolutely refused to give their Consent and framed I know not what Chimaera's of danger and in Fine positively prohibited The passing of any English or Irish into the Service of any Forreign Prince FROM hence it came to pass that many of those People being of Desperate Fortunes fell into Desperate Designs and being Animated and Spirited both by their Religion and the Traditional Animosity against the English and more especially the Scots whom they consider as Invaders Robbers and Incroachers of their Antient and Native Right they were easily perswaded and drawn into a Conspiracy rather than starve Whereas had the Parliament given them leave to have spent their ill humours and lives in Forreign Wars they might probably have prevented whole Rivers of Blood that was inhumanely spilt and have saved all that Treasure that was expended in reducing that Kingdom from one Rebellion to another BUT by this means the Male-contents here at Home got this advantage by that Rebellion which they had been long Aiming at as to Arm all their Factions The Factions seize on the Guards c. during the King's Absence in Scotland and in His Majesties absence to do all the Acts of Soveraign Authority And now they took actually the Guards into their Service which they had Voted for before and appointed Officers to Command them and to Exercise and Discipline the Raw and unexpert Militia of the Countries about London without so much as giving the least Notice of all this to His Majesty or expecting His Royal-Assent THE King being in Scotland when He first received an account of all that had happened in Ireland Sir James Stuart sent for Ireland dispatched Sir James Stuart with Instructions to the Lords of the Privy-Councel there and sent them by Him all the Money His present Stores would supply He likewise moved the Parliament of Scotland as being the nearest for their Assistance but they Excused it because Ireland was a Dependant of the Crown of England but if the State of England would use any of their Men for that Service they would make propositions in order to it THE King finding His stay to be longer than He thought left the whole business of Ireland to the Parliament which without staying for His leave they had took to Themselves and had indeed declared a speedy and vigorous Assistance and Voted Fifty Thousand Pounds for a present supply About which time the King returned out of Scotland The King Returns to London from Scotland and was Entertained and Feasted at London and from thence Conducted to White-Hall After which the King Treated several of the Brincipal Citizens at Hampton-Court where divers of the Aldermen had the Honour of Knight-Hood THEN the King Summons both Houses together and tells them A Parliament is called That He had staid in Scotland longer than He expected yet not Fruitlesly for He had given full Satisfaction to that Nation but cannot choose but take notice of and wonder at the unexpected Distractions He finds at Home and then recommends to them the State of Ireland Next He publishes a Proclamition for Obedience to the Laws and first concerning Religion and the performance of Divine Service without innovation or abolishing of Rites and Ceremonies About Two Months after which His Majesty makes another Speech to them and Conjures them by all that is Dear to Him or Them to hasten the Business of Ireland But notwithstanding this and all the Noise and Out cry that was made of the Cruelties of the Irish Rebellion they prepared their Succours but very slowly and tho His Majesty pressed them with repeated instances to assist vigorously the Protestant Party against the Popish Rebels The Irish Rebellion laid upon the King yet they used their endeavours to place the Odium of that Conspiracy to the King's account insomuch that one of their Members said in a Formal Speech at a Conference with the Lords That several who had passed into Ireland by His Majesties immediate warrant were at the Head of the Rebellion which Speech the House of Commons ordered to be Printed and tho His Majesty cleared Himself of the Scandal yet instead of obtaining a Reparation they publickly justified the Member who was Pym for what He had spoken Besides instead of taking into Consideration the bleeding Condition of Ireland notwithstanding all the indefatigable Zeal and Pains His Majesty had taken to preserve the Protestant Religion and the Peace of the Kingdom they welcomed Him presently after His Return from Scotland with a large Remonstrance The Parliaments Remonstrance wherein they endeavoured to make appear that there was a Design on Foot to introduce to this Kingdom Popery and Arbitrary Government and laid all the Misfortunes of the Reign to the Crowns Account notwithstanding they themselves had occasioned them and His Majesty having made a Gracious Answer to their Petition that was as a Prologue to their Remonstrance He issued out a Declaration to His Subjects by way of Answer to the Remonstrance The King's Answer the Sum of which was That He thought He had given sufficient Satisfaction to His Peoples Fears and Jealousies concerning Religion Liberty and Civil Interests by the Bills which He had passed this Parliament desiring that Misunderstandings might be removed on either side and that the bleeding Condition of Ireland might perswade them to Unity for the Relief of that Unhappy Kingdom BUT instead of Complying with His Majesty who offered to raise Ten Thousand Volunteers for Ireland if the Commons would undertake to Pay them and issued out a Proclamation against the Irish declaring Those that were in Arms with all their Adherents and Abettors The Apprentices Rife and go to White-Hall and Westminster to be Rebels and Traitors They Caused the Apprentices of London to go in an Insolent Tumultuous Riotous manner to White-Hall and Westminster and the King being informed That One of the Lords and Five of the House of Commons had Correspondence with the Scots and Countenanced the late City Tumults He thereupon ordered The King's Order their Trunks Studies and Chambers to be Sealed up and their Persons Seized the former of which was done but they kept too good Intelligence about His Majesty
Paces towards a Rebellion a Design of Petitioning their Soveraign But the King not able to bear His being Affronted at this Rate does likewise Arm to Defend His Crown The King Raises an Army to go against the Scots and the Lives and Estates of His Subjects here and Recover the Rights and Prerogatives they had Usurped in that Kingdom But notwithstanding the Justice of His Cause and the Gallantry and Vigour of His Army when He came in Sight of the Enemy He was moved out of a Compassion and a Desire to Save so many Lives both of His Loyal and Rebellious Subjects A Treaty is held a Second time to Condescend to a Treaty which He was likewise perswaded to by some of the English Nobility that were Secret Friends to the Scots DURING this Treaty the Factious Spirits of the Two Nations had by Feeling one anothers Pulses found their Tempers to be so alike and their Inclinations so sutable that they easily and quickly agreed of the Measures for a future Correspondence and of the means of putting in Execution their Designs Which however would have been impossible for them to have Effected had they had the least Sense of Religion Loyalty Honour and Honesty But the Scots had no sooner seen the English Army Disbanded and the People Dissatisfied with the Ill Success of that Expedition than that having Broken almost as soon as Signed The Pacification broken and the Scots Raise another Army every Article of that Pacification they Raised a New Army to Petition withal which they were Invited to by their Brethren or Presbyterian Party here who Encouraged them to this Invasion by assuring them That the King was not in a Capacity to make Head against them nor could be without Calling a Parliament wherein they would be sure to find so many Friends in Both Houses that nothing should be done there to their Disadvantage Which proved but too True for the King having Summoned a Parliament and proposed to them the Raising of Money for the suppressing the Insolence of the Scots some of the Members began to Question the Grounds and Justice of the War which they were Resolved to be Satisfied in before Moneys should be Raised In short the Scottish Party had that Influence in this Parliament as to put it to Question Whether the Grievances of the People or the King's Supply should first be Considered And tho the King told that Parliament That if they would Supply Him so as to Suppress the Insolence of the Scots He would Acquit His Claim to Ship-Money and give Satisfaction to their Just Demands They growing still more sensible by these Proposals of the Necessities the King was in instead of making such Returns as so Gracious an Offer merited Voted 1. The Clearing the property of the Subject 2. The Establishing the True Religion And 3. The Priviledges of Parliament and then fell into such Extravagances that the Privy-Council Advised their Dissolving The Parliament's Dissolved being assured the Heats of the House of Commons were so great that they intended that very Day to have Voted against the War with Scotland whereby the King would have been in a worse Condition than before their Sitting Yet though the City of London refused to lend Money to the King the Gentry contributed indifferently freely so that with their Assistance He raised a Second Army A Second Army raised by the King and having with much Difficulty and the great Murmuring of the Presbyterian Party drawn them together as far as York He designed to have Marched in person to the Borders of Scotland But the ill success My Lord Conoway had broke all His Measures for Lesley had no sooner forced His passage over the River Tine and faced New-Castle where the King had reposited His Magazine of Arms and Ammunition and His Stores of Provision for His Army but that the Gates were opened to them they having more Friends than Enemies in the Town The Scots Declaration Hereupon the Scots declare the Intention of the Army to be Not to lay down Armes till the Reformed Religion was setled in both Nations upon sure Grounds and the Causes and Abettors of their present Troubles that is Arch-Bishop Laud and the Earl of Strafford were brought to publick Justice in Parliament Whereupon Twelve English Peers Petitioned the King for the Sitting of the Parliament Some Lords and the City c. do Petition for the sitting of the Parliament and the City of London and several other parts of the Kingdom did the like all centring in this that Nothing else could relieve the pressures of the Nation And now the King condescends to their Desires and Summoned a Parliament A Parliament's called which instead of redressing Grievances defending Liberty Property and Laws Trampled all things both Civil and Sacred under their Feet and the People found at length that instead of the Arbitrary Government they had been so much afraid of they had brought upon themselves the Rankest Tyranny THIS Parliament was no sooner met than that they fell to Impeaching the Earl of Strafford Arch-Bishop Laud The Earl of Strafford and Arch-Bishop Laud impeach't with several others several of the Judges and other Ministers of State But tho the Earl had been forewarned of their Designs against Him yet relying upon His Great Innocence and His Courage rendring Him uncapable of Fear He could not be perswaded to with-draw till the Storm was over least His Flight might be interpreted as Guilt and should blast His Sovereign's as well as His own Reputation Upon this Impeachment He is Sequestred from the House of Lords and likewise His Friend Sir George Ratcliffe is sent for out of Ireland by a Serjeant at Arms In the mean time the Bishop of Lincolne who was Prisoner in the Tower is Released who had been Committed there for some dishonourable Speeches that He had spoken of the King and having endeavoured by some indirect means to Appear Innocent He had been therefore Sentenced Ten Thousand Pounds Fine to the King Imprisonment in the Tower during Pleasure to be suspended Ab Officiis Beneficiis from His Bishoprick and the Profits thereof and to be referred to the High Commission Court as to what concerned them And likewise Mr. Pryn Mr. Burton and Dr. Bastnick who had received a very just Censure for Writing against the Bishops and their Government they being all Three Sentenced to pay Five Thousand Pounds apiece Fine to the King to lose their Ears in the Pillory and to be Imprisoned which they accordingly Suffered were now brought in great Triumph to London and December the Third they presented their Petition against their Prosecutors THEN the Commons fell to Voting Ship-Money with the Opinion of the Judges thereupon to be Illegal who with Noy then esteemed the Oracle of the Law had assured the King of the Legality of it and a Charge of High-Treason was ordered to be drawn up against Eight of them and they resolved to
bear alike Proposition and consequently Publick Peace must be a Thorn in their Side too Tho I believe verily That the Presbyterian is but an Instrument in the Roman Catholicks Hands to work the Destruction of this Nation because they know there 's no Sect bears a greater Sway nor admits of a greater Acceptance amongst the Credulous Vulgars than This. How under This Cloak Religion they have walked for these several Years and made it their Stalking-Horse to perpetrate their Designes we all know and therefore I shall enter upon the Second Part of This Discourse and trace along our present Troubles and Distractions beginning with Religion Loyalties severe Summons TO THE Bar of Conscience OR A Seasonable Timely Call TO THE People of England UPON THE Present Juncture of Affairs The Second Part. BUT before we enter upon Generals I shall a little come to Particulars and by this Means lay before you more plainly how exactly Men endeavour in These Times to follow the Coppy which have been drawn by Men of alike Principles and Dispositions in the Late Times AND Here we must observe how like Serpents the Subtle Engineers and Framers of the Late Common-Wealth wrought themselves in to the Accomplishing their Damned Designs and Unparallel'd Contrivances They no sooner found the Late King reduced to urgent Necessities and pressing Occasions for Supplyes to His Exchecquer and Treasury which were Drained and Exhausted by a long involved War abroad but it is as soon taken Notice of by the Factious Parties at Home who promised to themselves now a fit Opportunity to broach their Villanies and begin those Accursed Designs against the King and Government which they afterwards perpetrated and brought to pass They begin then to hang Tall and stand off from any Propositions the King made for Supplyes of Money and therefore without He would be brought to those Concessions and comply with such unreasonable Demands which they would and did make no Money was to be had THE King being of a Good Pacifick and Generous Nature and knowing the Pressures and Necessities which then incumbred Him for a Supply was forced to condescend to such Gracious Unparallel'd Acts which helped to pull down that fair and splendid Structure of the Government which His Royal Predecessors Queen Elizabeth and His Father King James had built Of which I have spoken more at large before THESE Acts and Concessions of the King they managed to that Degree that at length the Scots influenc'd Here by some Leading Parties in England enter upon a strange Way of forcing His Concessions by Raising an Army under the Notion of Petitioning their King c. NOW let us behold how nearly we endeavour to follow these Ieroboams and how close the Shadow follows our Heels In the Year 1679. The Damnable Popish Plot Discovered in England not long after the Discovery of the Hellish Popish Plot which had put England into a Great Combustion and Disorder and that now the Minds of Men were possest with Dread and Horror and an Universal Jealousie and Fear of what would be the Event of so strange and Surprizing an Alarum distracted almost even the most sober Brains The Scots who are a People ever ready to lay hold of any Opportunity to Rebel and knowing This a fit Time to blow up that Fire into a Flame which the Papists and Jesuits had kindled they presently begin to enter upon their Old Theme of Protesting against the Church Government Episcopacy The Scots Rebellion nay Monarchy too and Raise a Considerable Army to further their Execrable Designs BUT before this to shew their Antipathy and inveterate Abhorrence against Bishops which is a Natural Disposition they suck't from the Breasts of the Presbyterian Parents as is before taken Notice of and now 't was never to be Eradicated out of the Flesh of their Posterity they Assassinate and Kill that Reverend Prelate the Arch Bishop of St. Andrews The Reverend Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews killed one of His Majesty's most honourable Privy-Councel by Stabbing him in his own Coach in the Sight of the Sun dragging him out upon the Ground hewing and butchering him as the Cruel Blood-Thirsty Dutch did the De witts in Holland leaving his Body as one Wound Oh crudelis Rabies Populi BUT this was but a small Prologue to their designed Black Cragedy the Death of one Great Person could not satisfy their Bloody Intents but now Fury drives them on to destroy all that oppose them and a Body of Men was got together on the Twenty-Nineth of Mar 1679. to the Number of Eighty The Rebels burn several Acts of Parliament well Mounted and Armed and came as far as Rugland proclaimed the Covenant burnt several Acts of Parliament viz. 1. 1. The Act concerning the King's Supremacy 2. 2. The Rescissory Act. 3. 3. The Act for Establishing Episcopacy And 4. 4. The Act appointing the Anniversary of the Twenty-Nineth of May. And that done affixed a certain Scandalous and Traiterous Paper or Declaration upon the Market-Cross and intended to have done the like at Glasgow but were prevented by the King's Forces there The Rebel's Declaration designed to be put up at Glasgow but was actually put up at Rugland was in these Words following AS the Lord hath been pleased still to keep and preserve His Interest in the Land The Scot's Declaration put upon the Market-Cross at Rugland by the Testimony of some Faithful Witnesses from the Beginning So in our Dayes some have not been wanting who thro the greatest Hazards have added their Testimonies to those who are gone before them by suffering Death Banishment Torturings Finings Imprisonments Forfeitures c. flowing from cruel and perfidious Adversaries to the Church and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Land Therefore We owning the Interest of Christ according to the Word of the Lord and the National and Solemn League and Covenaut desire to add our Testimonies of the Worthies that have gone before tho Unworthy yet hoping as true Members of the Church of Christ in Scotland and that against all Things that have been done prejudicial to His Interest from the Beginning of the Work of Reformation in Scotland especially from the Year 1648. to the Year 1660. against these following Acts As 1. 1. The Act of Supremacy 2. 2. The Declaration whereby the Covenants were condemned 3. 3. The Act for Eversion of the Established Government of the Church and for Establishing of Prelacy and for outing of Christ's Ministers who could not conform thereto by an Act Rescissory of all Acts of Parliament and Assemblies for Establishing of the Government of the Church of Scotland according to the Word As likewise 4. That Act of Councel at Glasgow 4. putting that Act Rescissory in Execution where at one time were violently cast out above Three Hundred Ministers without all Legal Procedure Likewise 5. 5. The Act appointing a Holy Anniversary-Day to be kept upon the
Twenty-Nineth of May for giving Thanks for the Upsetting an Usurping Power destroying the Interest of the Church in the Land which is to set up the Creature to be Worship't in the Room of our Great Redeemer and to consent to the assuming the Power that is proper to the Lord alone for the Appointing of Ordinances in His Church as particularly the Government thereof and the Keeping of Holy-Dayes and all other Sinful and Unlawful Acts emitted and executed by them And for Confirmation of This our Testimony We do hereby this Day being the Twenty-Nineth of May 1679. publickly burn them at the Cross of Glasgow most justly as they perfidiously and blasphemously had burnt our Holy Covenants thro several Cities of the Covenanted Kingdoms We judge none will take Exception at our not Subscribing this our Testimony being so solemnly gone about for we are ready alwayes to do it if judged necessary with all the Faithful Suffering Brethren in the Land The Effect the Declaration bad THIS gained a great Addition to their Number and every day Fresh Rabbles came and Listed themselves under their Rebellious Banner so that within few Dayes their Body became considerable amounting to Fourteen or Fifteen Thousand Men. But as in the thickest Brambles there are to be found some Roses so in this Country the King found some Loyal Hearts who endeavoured to quell their Insolence For on the Eight of May Five Dayes after the Murther of the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews Captain Graham of Claver-house Capt. Graham's Rencounter with the Rebels upon notice he had of a great Number of Men who were gathered together upon Lowdon-Hill marched thither with his Troop and a Company of Dragoons and found there Fourteen or Fifteen Thousand Men well Armed and in good Order The Foot commanded by one Weir and the Horse by Robert Hamilton one Patton Balfour and Hackston the Two last being the Murtherers of the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews The Revels upon Captain Graham's Approach sent out Two Parties to skirmish with him which he beat into their main Body Then they advanced with their whole Force upon him who after a considerable Slaughter of the Revels and the Loss of his Cornet Two Brigadiers about Eight Horse and Twenty Dragoons his own Horse being killed under him and mounting another being so much over-power'd in number he made his Retreat to Glasgow being in his way forced to Fight his Passage through the Towns-Men of Streven who were got together to oppose it leaving Ten or Twelve of them dead upon the Place THE Revels had the Confidence to attack the City of Glasgow The City of Glasgow Attacked at Two several Times but all the Streets were so Barricadoed by the Lord Rosse and the Souldiers put into so good a Posture that the Revels were beat off with a Considerable Loss besides many Prisoners that were taken THE Council the City of Edinborough several Noble Men and Persons of Quality use their utmost endeavours to suppress these Rebels amongst which the Son of the Lord Rosse The Son of the Lord Rosse his Skirmish with the Rebels having only with him Forty Horse and a Company of Dragoons totally defeats a party of Three Hundred Horse and Foot of the Rebels leaving Sixty Six Dead upon the Place taking Ten Prisoners the rest being scattered As likewise The Lord Murray's Stuward puts to the rout a 100. the Lord Murray's Deputy-Stuward in Downe assembling the Vassals and Tenants of His Lordships Stewardry upon an Alarm of One Hundred Rebels on Horseback coming from Fisse to joyn with their main Body pursues them Sixteen Miles through the Mountains and at last coming up to them Killed several of them took Forty Prisoners amongst which was one Henderson one of the Murtherers of the Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews and forced them to scatter and fly into the adjacent Woods and Moors Of which The Lord Elphingston took 30. Prisoners the Lord Elphingston having notice with some Gentlemen under his Command pursued them killed some and took above Thirty more Prisoners and amongst these Two of the name of Balfour and one Hamilton of Kinkel Three more of the Murtherers of the said Arch-Bishop THE Gentlemen of Stratherne fell upon another Party coming from Fiffe of which they killed some and took above Forty The Gentlemen of Stratherne's Re-encounter with them and carried them Prisoners to Pearth THUS these Bebels met with great Opposition from all parts They meet with extraordinary Supplies upon extraordinary Opposition but still like the Serpent Hydra they had fresh Supplies and their Numbers grew great This allaruming the King and Parliament here they presently resolve to dispatch with all Expedition imaginable a considerable Force against them consisting of a Body of Ten Thousand Men under the Conduct of the Illustrious James Duke of Monmouth The Duke of Monmouth goes for Scotland a person of whose Prudence Courage and Fidelity we have had large Demonstrations and Proofs The Duke with this Body of Men all Loyal brave Spirits and couragious resolute Lads sets out for Scotland And His Grace arrived at Edinborough the 18th of June 79. by Post and parting the 19th following joyned the King's Forces at Blackburne Major Oglethorpe causes a Party or Two of the Rebels to retire and that Evening sent out Major Oglethorpe with a Detachment of Horse and Dragoons who Met with a Party or Two of the Rebels who presently retired The next day June 20th His Grace decamped with His Army and advanced within Six Miles of Hamilton whither the Rebels were retreated The Duke advances towards Hamilton having encamped their Foot in the Little Park there and Posted their Horse along the River being 6. or 7000. strong besides one Robert Stewart Brother to the Earl of Galioway and two or three more came in to them JUNE the 22d the Duke drew up His Majesties Forces at Bothwell-Bridge which the Rebels lying on the other side had barricadoed Here a Paper is brought to the Lord General by one of the ‖ David Hume The Message of the Rebels Rebels representing That they would lay down their Arms upon no other Terms than those exprest in their Declaration to which The Duke's Answer His Grace gave Answer That those were destructive to the King's Authority and contrary to the Fundamental Laws and Constitutions of this Kingdom and that they were to expect no other Articles from him but to lay down their Armes and render themselves to the King's Mercy With this Answer they return desiring some time to consider which His Grace granted them About half an hour after the Rebels sent a Paper by a Drummer representing That they were informed Their 2d Message That His Grace came from England with Terms to be offered to them that they desired to know what He had to propose that they might advise whether the Terms were such they could accept of Upon which His Grace sent them word That their
sincere Conscience or else that they held it as an Article of their Faith should think That within Forty Years by a necessary Consequence the same or like Occurrences must needs happen to a Nation and therefore if they acted never so contrary to God's Word Nature nay Common Honesty still it must be look't upon as flowing from the supream Cause or those concurrent hidden Causes which usually attend the Revolutions of States However it be This I must needs confess No one Evil comes alone The late King's time tho attended with continual Vicissitudes and repeated Troubles yet we find still some dreadful Additional Circumstance or other to befall them to hasten their way to Ruine THE Scotch Rebellion His losing His Priviledges dayly His publick Ministers impeach'd His legal Proceeding censured thwarted His Honour beginning to dwindle His Majesty exclipsed His Subjects here at Home Mutinous and Seditious but to add to these a cursed hellish Rebellion in Ireland breaks forth to the Massacring above Two Hundred Thousand of His Subjects in one Night Now do we but look upon our Times We have through the unspeakable Bounty of a Gracious GOD Para'el a hellish Popish Plot which terrified and frightned every poor Soul of this Our English Nation Discovered to Us by those who were to be the Executioners of Our Ruine the Grandees and Pillars of the Government are taken into Custody as Accessories to this execrable Design of destroying Prince and People several others have been taken and Suffered The People have been disquieted and disturbed at such a Surprize The Government aspersed by Incendiaries Loyalty despised Laws contemned Authority neglected Magistracy villifyed c. And to augment the Obscurity of those dark Clouds which hang over our Heads and threatned Subversion of Monarchy Religion and All A Plot in Ireland discoverd a Cursed Irish Plot too is Discovered broached and fomented by the same Ministers whom the Pope and the Devil had employed in that profound Mystery of Iniquity The English Plot. Upon the Miraculous Discovery of which His Majesty was pleased to take all the Care He could for the through detecting This Damnable Plot and Proclamations and Warrants are issued out for the Apprehending the Conspirators upon the putting in Execution of which several betake themselves to Flight leave their Country and get into Forreign Parts Some are taken Prisoners amongst which was those Two notorious Traitors Plunket and Fitz-harris taken the Titular Primate of Ireland Plunket One whose Hands were imbrued in the late Bloody Massacre There So that we see the Old Saying true Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit Odorem Testa diu and one Fitz-barris both which were lately Tryed Convicted and Executed And Others come in and take hold of the Mercy of their Prince and as far as they were knowing give their several Evidences concerning this Hellish Designe Which was for the Murthering His Majesty's Person The Designe of the Plot in Ireland the Destroying and Subverting the True Protestant Religion the Deposing His Majesty from the Crown and Government of that Kingdome and the Establishing of the Roman Catholick Religion there c. Thus as the Wise-man sayes There shall no Reward be to the Evil Man the Candle of the wicked shall be put out My Son Fear thou the Lord and the King and medle not with them that are given to Change For their Calamity shall rise suddenly and Who knoweth the Ruin of them AND Lastly As in those Times the Press was open to receive the Dictates of every Male-content to the Aspersion of the King and His Ministers and the Censuring and Exposing the Government So in these Times we see the like every Day affording us fresh Pacquets But of This more here-after I will therefore desist the Tracing thus Particulars and do what I promised before I entred upon this Digression viz. Lay down in Impartial General Terms The Present State of this poor Nation through the needless Fear of Popery Arbitrary Government and the Subversion of our Religion Laws and Liverties I shall begin then with Religion THERE is no Stuff so proper to make a Cloak on Religion as Religion nothing so Profitable nor indeed so Fashionable It is a Livery How understood now wherein a Wise Man may easily serve Two Masters God and the World and make a gainful and advantageous Service by Either For when once a Man hath got a Publick Opinion of a Holy and Regular Life the Goodness and Sincerity of his Conscience is cryed up to that height that his Trade will lack no Custome his wares want no Price his Words need Credit or his Actions tho never so Enormous and Immoral be destitute of Praise and Applause In Summer this keeps him cool in Winter warm and hides the Nasty Bag of all his beloved Secret Lusts Under this Cloak he walks in Publickly fairly with Applause and in Private sin securely without Offence and officiate Wisely without Discovery c. AT a Fast I cry Geneva at a Feast I cry Rome Under this Cloak I compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte and no sooner made but He Makes me I most frequent Schismatical Lectures which I find most Profitable from whence learning to Divulge and Maintain New Doctrines they maintain me in Suppers Thrice a Week Charity I hold as an Extraordinary Duty therefore not Ordinarily to be performed c. Thus our Great Religiosi understands Religion but as a Trick they make use of to advance their Interests and Improve their Advantage In fine 'T is Religion which hath been the sole pretended Directrix to the Commission of the most Nefarious Conspiracies and Damnable Contrivances which have for several Years distracted the Peace and Order of the Government of the Kingdom of England Scotland and Ireland The sad Effects of it in those Late Times of Rebellion here in Forty-One we have as is before said to our Sorrow felt and those direful Consequences of Ruin and Destruction of our King and Kingdom brooded and hatch't under her Wings now in these present Times Which would have inevitably followed the Damnable Designs of the Wicked Conspirators of the Hellish Popish Plots had it not pleased the Omnipotent Power to infatuate their Intentions and disclose their Diabolical Secrets I say These Two sad and notorious Instances are sufficient to convince any Reasonable Man how far Religion has blind-folded and carryed Men on thro the most uncouth and execrable Designs to destroy both Prince and People 'T was under her Banner the Boid Regicides flourish't their Colours over the Murthered Body of His Late Sacred Majesty whom they durst not to have approach't when Living 'T was under her Banner the Audacious Heroes of the Romish Party were now Marching on armed with Fury Violence Rapine Murther and Destruction ready upon a Minutes Call to Massacre Prince and People without Distinction of Sex or Family As if the Gospel of Peace which was first Planted by the