bound from Newcastle to Holland laden with Sea-coale but in the midst thereof was found between 3 or 4000 livre. hid in the coales sent to buy armes for the King a third great Ship called the Fellowship of at least 400 tun carrying 24 peeces of Ordnâ—nce all these â— ships taken by the parliaments ships and made prize of 83 The comming in of our brethren of Scotland with an army of at least 20000 horse and foot invited thereunto by the parl. in the bitter depth of winter when they marched up to the middle in snow and were forced to bring their Artillery over the Ice of the frozen river of Tyne and the Citizens of London lent the Parliament a 100000 li. for the Scots first pay to encourage their advance to helpe us against the Kings forces On Tuesday the 23 of May 1643. The House of Commons diving into the depth and searching to the root of the Kingdomes great and grievous distractions and deepe distempers and finding that all Papists in the Kingdome have for the most part been main and most eminent yea and most virulent actors and abetters of this present most unnaturall warre against the Parliament and that therefore they should be proceeded against as traytors to the State and Kingdome and thereupon also having just cause to search and see into the prime and principall head or leader of that perfideous faction fell necessirily 23 May 1643. Voted that the Queene Pawning the Iewells of the Crowne in Holland there with buying Armes to assist the Warr against the Parlamt her owne actuall performances with her popish army in the North was high Treason transmited to the Lords images Crucifixes papistorall bookes in Somerset and Jameses ware burnt and Caphuchin friers sent away May 1643 an ordinance for the makeing of Fortes Tronches and Bull workes about the Cittie Iuly-1-43 the Assembly of Diuines mett Dr. Jwiss Prolocutor 120 the totall May â—â— Challen or and Tomkins were hangd for seekeing to betray the Cittie into a long and serious debate touching the proceedings of the Queen in her late being in Holland and since her late coming back into the north of England not onely in her countenancing and incouraging her aiding and assisting the present civill war but in her actuall performance in the same to foment and advance it to the utmost ruine as much as in her was of our Religion and whole Realine for all which and many other such like misdemeanours it was debated and at last fully agreed that she was as liable to the censure of the Law as any Subject in the Kingdome whereupon it was put to the question whether the Queenes pawning the Jewels of the Crown in Holland and therewith buying Armes and Ammunition to be sent into England to assist the said war against the Parliament and her own actuall performances with her Popish Army in the North were not high Treason and it was resolved most unanimously by the whole House for the affirmative afterward it being also put to the question whether they should forthwith declare their intentions to proceed against her by impeachment of high Treason this also was immediatly resolved for the affirmative and Voted that Articles of impeachment should be speedily drawne up against her which Votes the House of Commons transmitted to the Lords for their assent The Bishop of Canterburies first prayer on the Scaffold 10 Jan. 1644. O Eternall God and mercifull Father looke downe upon me in mercy in the riches and fullnesse of all thy mercies look upon me but not till thou hast nailed my sins to the crosse of Christ looke upon me but not till thou hast bathed me in the blood of Christ not till I have hid my selfe in the wounds of Christ that so the punishment that is due to my sins may passe away and go over 〈◊〉 and since thou art pleased to try me to the uttermost I humbly beseech thâ—e give me now in this great instant full patience proportionable comfort a heart ready to dye for thine honour and the Kings happinesse and this Churches preservation and my zeale to these far from arrogancy be it spoken is all the sin hâ—mane fralty excepted and all incidents thereunto which is yet known of me in this particular for which I now come to suffer I say in this particular of Treason but otherwise my sins are many and great Lord pardon them all and those especially whatsoever they be which have drawn down this present judgement upon me and when thou hast given me strength to â—eare it then doe with me as seemes best in thine owne eyes and carry me through death that I may look upon it in what visage soever it shall appear to me and that there may be a stop of this issue of blood in this more then miserable Kingdome I shall desire that I may pray for the people too as well as for my selfe O Lord I beseech thee give grace of repentance to all people that have a thirst for blood but if they will not repent then scatter their devices so and such as are or shall be contrary to the glory of thy great name the truth and sincerity of Religion the establishment of the King and his posterity after him in their just rights and priviledges the honour and conservation of Parliaments â—â— their ancient and just power the preservation of this poore Church in her truth peace and patrimony and the settlement of this distracted and distressed people under the ancient laws and in their native liberties and when thou hast done all this in mercy for them O Lord fill their hearts with thankfullnesse and with religious dutifull obedience to thee and thy Commandements all their dayes So Amen Lord Jesus and I beseech thee receive my soul to mercy Our Father c. The Bishop of Canterburies last prayer on the Scaffold Lord I am comming as fast as I can I know I must passe through the shadow of death before I 〈◊〉 come to see thee but it is but umâ—ra mortis a meere shadow of death a little darknesse upon nature but thou by thy merits and passion hast broke through the jaws of death so Lord receive my soule and have mercy on me Sr. Alexander Carow Sr. Iohn Hotham Captin Hotham the Arch Bishop of Canterbury beheaded on Jowerhill for Treason against the Parliament 1645. The Great Seale broken before the Lords and Commons on Tusday the 11 August 1646 and blesse this Kingdome with peace and plenty and with brotherly love and charity that there may not be this effusion of Christian blood amongst them for Jesus Christ his sake if it be thy will And when he said Lord receive my soule which was his sign the Executioner did his office 84 A desperate plot of the Royalists to starve up the City of London by breaking into Surry Sussex Kent and the other associated Counties but disappointed by the Parliaments Victories at Aulton and Alsford fought by Sir Walliam
in the North which was in June 1641. the popish and malignant Lords and Prelates fearing the effects of this present Parliament complotted together to disaffect that our English Army against the Parliament and endeavoured to bring it out of the North Southward and so to London to compell the parliament to such limits and rules as they thought fit July 1641. At the beginning of the parliament there was a diligent inquisition after oppressions and oppressors and first upon the petition of Mistris Bastwick and Mistris Burton two widowed wives and a petition exhibited in the behalfe of Mr. pryn Dr. Laighton Mr. Smart Mr. Walker Mr. Foxley Mr. Lilborn and many others set at liberty some being banished and all close prisoners others fast fettered in irons and their wives debarred from comming to them The Souldiers in their passage to York turn unto reformers pull down Popish pictures break down rayles turn altars into Tables the English and Scotts Armies at first ready to fight lovingly embrace each other part kinde freinds The Protestation I A. B. Doe in the presence of Almighty God Promise Vow and Protest to maintaine and defend as far as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realme contrary to the same Doctrine and according to the duty of my Allegiance his Majesties royall Person Honour and Estate as also the power and priviledges of Parliament the lawfull rights and liberties of the Subject and every person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoever he shall doe in the lawfull pursuance of the same And to my power and as farre as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good wayes and meanes endeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as shall either by force practice councels plots conspiracies or otherwise doe any thing to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained And further that I shall in all just and honourable wayes endeavour to preserve the union and peace between the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland and neither for hope feare nor other respect shall relinquish this Promise Vow and Protestation The Earle of Straffords Speech on the Scaffold May 12. 1641. MY Lord Primate of Ireland and my Lords and the rest of these Gentlemen it is a very great comfort to me to have your Lordship by me this day in regard I have been knowne to you a long time I should be glad to obtaine so much silence as to be heard a few words but I doubt I shall not my Lord I come hither by the good will and pleasure of Almighty God to pay the last debt I owe to sinne which is death and by the blessing of that God to rise againe through the merits of Christ Jesus to eternall glory I wish I had beene private that I might have been heard My Lord if I might be so much beholding to you that I might use a few words I should take it for a very great courtesie My Lord I come hither to submit to that judgement which hath past against me I doe it with a very quiet and contented minde I doe freely forgive all the world a forgivenesse that is not spoken from teeth outward as they say but from the heart I speake it in the presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not so much as a displeasing thought in me arising to any creature I thank God I may say truely and my Conscience beares me witnesse that in all my services since I have had the honour to serve his Majesty in any imployment I never had any thing in my heart but the joynt and individuall prosperity of King and people if it have beene my hap to be misconstrued it is the common portion of us all while we are in this life the righteous judgement is hereafter here we are subject to errour and apt to be mis judged one of another there is one thing I desire to cleare my selfe of and I am very confident I speake it with so much clearnesse that I hope I shall have your Christian charity in the beliefe of it I did alwayes ever thinke the Parliaments of England were the happiest Constitutions that any Kingdome or any Nation lived under and under God the meanes of making King and people happy so far have I beene from being against Parliaments for my death I here acquit all the world and pray God heartily to forgive them and in particular My Lord Primate I am very glad that his Majesty is pleased to conceive me not meriting so severe and heavy a punishment as the utmost execution of this sentence I am very glad and infinitely rejoyce in this mercy of his and beseech God to turne it to him and that he may finde mercy when he hath most need of it I wish this Kingdome all the prosperity and happinesse in the world I did it living and now dying it is my wish I doe now professe it from my heart and doe most humbly recommend it unto every man here and wish every man to lay his hand upon his heart and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happinesse of a people should bee written in letters of blood I feare you are in a wrong way and I desire Almighty God that not one drop of my blood may rise up in judgement against you My Lord I professe my selfe a true and obedient Son to the Church of England to that Church wherein I was borne and wherein I was bred prosperity and happinesse , be ever to it and whereas it hath been said that I have inclined to popery if it be an objection worth answering let me say truly that from the time since I was one and twenty yeares of age till this houre now going upon 49. I never had thought in my heart to doubt of the truth of my religion in England and never any had the boldnesse to suggest to me the contrary to the best of my remembrance and so being reconciled to the mercies of Christ Jesus my Saviour into whose bosome I hope shortly to be gathered to those eternall happinesses that shall never have end I desire heartily the forgivenesse of every man both for any rash or unadvised word or deed and desire your prayers And so my Lords farewell farewell all the things of this world Lord strengthen my faith give me confidence and assurance in the merits of Christ Jesus I desire you that you would be The Earle of Strafford for treasonable practises beheaded on the Tower-hill be silent and joyn in prayers with me and I trust in God that we shall all meete and live eternally in heaven there to receive the accomplishment of all happinesse where every teare shall be wiped from our eyes and every sad thought from our hearts And so God blesse this Kingdome and Jesus have mercy upon my Soule Amen
dagger shall so soon as I am recouered of my plague-sore In the meane time you may be forborn because no better man may be endangered for you Repent Traitor Anno 1643. 72. A notable plot against the City of London imediately upon the Cities preferring a petition to the King by the hands of two Aldermen and foure Commoners of the said City in reply to which petition the King sending as his messenger one Captaine Hâ—rn to the City and the whole body of the City assembling at a Common Hall this Hern desires Faire play above board of them But the businesse being found to be a notable designe of the malignant-Citizens against the Parliament and the then Lord Major of London and the Government of their City the major cry out in the hearing of Hern they would live and dye with the parliament and so sent Hern away with a flea in his care 73. Another plot contrived at Oxford by a Letter sent to all the Freemen Iourneymen and Apprentices of the said City to assemble at their severall Hills and there the Masters and Wardens of all Companies to read the Kings Letter to them and to perswade them to yeeld to all the Kings commands against the City but this Letter was crost in the necke and nicke of it and voted to be evill and scandalous 74. A plot also to betray Bristol into the Royalists hands by one Yeomans and Bowcher and divers other their associates but discovered two principall conspirators were by Martiall Law condemned and hanged 75. Cheapside-crosse Charing crosse and all other Crosses in and about London utterly demolished and pulled downe and that abominable and blasphemous booke of tolerating sports and pastimes on the Lords dayes voted to be burnt and shortly after accordingly burnt together with many Crucifixes and popish trinckets and trumperies in the very same place where Cheapside-crosse stood and at the Exchange 76. Mr. Pryn sent by the Parliament to the Towre of London to search the Arch prelate of Canterburies chamber and study there where he was prisoner who accordingly searching his study and his pockets of his wearing cloaths a just requitall of his dealing with Mr. Pryn and others found the originall Scotch Service booke with the Arch-bishops owne hand-writings in it the cause of all the Scots wars and his Diary Devotions and discoveries under his own hands of matters of high concernment 77. The City of London to have been betrayed into the hands of the Royalists under a pretence of a petition for peace plotted by Mr. Waller a Member of the House of Commons M. Tompkins M. Challenor and others and this plot termed by King Charles in his Letter to the Queen one of his Fine Designes But Waller one of the prime complotters was by the sentence of the Parliament fined 10000 l. in his estate and sent out of the Kingdome into perpetuall banishment and Tompkins and Challenor hanged in London 78. The breaking of Sir John Hothams rotten heart and infidelity to the Parliament in his attempted plot for the betraying of that mighty strong Town of Hull into the Queens hands which treachery was plotted and contrived between Sir John the father Captaine Hotham his son and Sir Edward Roades and began to be suspected by Sir John Hothams deserting of the noble Lord Fairfax by an intercepted letter of the Queens to the King and divers other sumptomes of it but especially by Captaine Moyers letter to Mr. Ripley and Mr. Ripley's faithfull acquainting the Major of Hull therewith and their first seizing on the Block-houses Castles and Commanders of them and at length their apprehending of the persons of Sir John Hotham and Sir Edward Roades for which treachery Sir John Hotham and Captaine Hotham his Son was also apprehended and both of them beheaded at the Tower of London The 2 of May 1643. the Crosse in Cheapeside was pulled downe a Troope of Horse 2 Companies of foote wayted to garde it at the fall of the tope Crosse dromÌ„es beat truÌ„pets blew multitudes of Capes wayre throwne in the Ayre a greate Shoute of People with ioy the 2 of May the Almanake sayeth was the invention of the Crosse 6 day at night was the Leaden Popes burnt in the place where it stood with ringinge of Bells a greate Acclamation no hurt done in all these actions 10 of May the Boncke of Sports upon the Lords day was burut by the Hangman in the place where the Crosse stoode at Exchange Die Mercurij May 10. 1643 By vertue of an Order of the House of Commons and agreeable to a Bill passed by both Houses of parliament for suppressing of divers innovations in Churches and Chappels this Committee doth require you and every of you to take away and demolish every Alter or Table of Stone within your Church or Chappell and to remove the Communion Table from the East end of the said Church or Chappell and to place the same in some other convenient place of the body of the said Church or Chappell and to remove and take away all Tapers Candlesticks and Basons from the Communion Table and to take away and demolish all crucifixes crosses and all Images and pictures of any one or more persons of the Trinity or of the Virgin Mary and this Committee doth further require you to demolish all crucifixes crosses Images or pictures of any one or more persons of the Trinity or of the Virgin Mary upon the outside of your said Church or Chappell or any open place within your parish Whereof you are to give an account to this Committee before the 20 day of this moneth To the Church-Wardens of the parish of c. and every of them 79 A desperate plot for the betraying of the City and Towne of Lincolne by the two Purfries two Captains of Hull who let in 60 Cavaliers by night in disguised habits and who issuing out about 12 of the clocke that night to act their designe where a plain fellow of the Town discharging a peece of Canon upon them slew 10 of them at one shot the rest slaine and taken by the cenâ—inels and Souâ—â—ers of the Towne and so by Gods mercy the City preserved 80 The Queen wrote a dangerous letter to the King to come with all his force to surprize London but by Gods over power wisdome and good providence the King refusing that councell resolved to take Gloucester first which he fiercely assaulted but was as bravely repulsed and by Gods blessing on Major Generâ—l Massies fidelity timely aide comming to relieve the Towne it was admirably freed and by the Lord Generalls Army and the City of London Regiamenâ—â— delivered 81 A desperate rebellion raised by the Kentish malignants but by Gods mercy timely suppressed about Tunbridge by the valour of Collonell Brown and the wel-affected Gentry of the County of Kent 82 A Ship bound from Denmark to the King of about 300 tun richly laden with armes and ammunition another Ship
the Nobility by taking away their negative voyce and with whom the levellers doctrine is rather countenanced then punished and as for their intentions to my person their changing and putting more strict guards upon me with the discharging most of all the servants of mine who formerly they admitted to wait upon me doe sufficiently declare nor would I have this my retirement mis-interpreted for I shall earnestly and uncessantly endeavour the settleing of a safe and well-grounded peace where ever I am or shall be and that as much as may be without the effusion of more Christian blood for which how many times have I prest to be heard and yet no care given to me and can any reasonable man thinke according to the ordinary course of affaires there can be a settled peace without it or that God will blesse those that refuse to heare their own King surely no I must further adde that besides what concernes my selfe unlesse all other chiefe interests have not onely a hearing but likewise just satisfaction given to them to wit the Presbyterians Independents Army those who have adhered to me and even the Scots I say there cannot I speake not of miracles it being in my opinion a sinfull presumption in such cases to expect or trust to them be a safe and lasting peace now as I cannot deny but that my personall security is the urgent cause of this my retirement so I take God to witnesse the publicke peace is no lesse before mine eyes and I can finde no better way to expresse this my profession I know not what a wiser man may doe then by desiring and urging that all chiefe interests may be heard to the end each may have just satisfaction as for example the Army for the rest though necessary yet I suppose are not difficult to consent ought in my judgement to enjoy the liberty of their consciences and have an act of oblivion or indempnity which should extend to the rest of all my subjects and that all their arrears should be speedily and duely paid which I will undertake to do so I may be heard and that I be not hindred from using such lawfull and honest means as I shall choose To conclude let me be heard with freedome honour and safety and I shall instantly breake through this cloud of retirement and shall shew my selfe to be pater patriae C. R. The copy of the paper entituled by the mutinous Agents An Agreement of the people c. In briefe Having by their labour and hazard got their enemies into their hands they are resolved to avoid danger of returning into a slavish condition and the chargeable remedy of another war c. Doe declare 1. That the people of England being very unequally distributed by Counties c. for the election of their deputies in Parliament ought more indifferently to be proportioned c. 2. From the inconvenience arising from the long continuance of the persons now in authority this Parliament be dissolved September the last 1648. 3. That the people of course do choose them a Parliament once it two years c. 4. That the power of this and all future representations of this Nation is inferiour onely to those that choose them c. 5. That matters of Religion and the wayes of Gods worship are not at all intrusted to us by humane power c. A great Tumult Insurection and Muteny in London breaking open divers houses and Magazines of Armes and Ammunitian breaking open divers Houses Seazing on the Drumes Gates Chaines Watches of the Citty assaulted and Shot into the L Mayors house and killed one of his guard etc. 6. That impresting any of us and constraining us to serve in the war is against our freedome c. At this Common-councel Mr Alderman Fowk and Mr. Alderman Gibs by the directions of the Committee of the Militia of London did make a large Relation of the great Tumult Insurrection and mutiny which happened in this City on the last Lords day and on Munday last by many evill disposed persons which first began on the Lords day in the afternoon in the County of Middlesex where they seized the Colours of one of the Trained Bands of the said County who were there imployed for the suppressing of such persons as did profane the Lords day and being dispersed by some of the Generalls forces did gather together within the City of London and Liberties thereof and in a Riotous manner did break open divers houses and magazines of Arms and Ammunition and took away Arms Plate Money and other things and did seize upon the Drums of the Trained-Bands of this City which were beating to raise their Companies and armed themselves and beat up Drums and put themselves in a warlike posture and seized upon the Gates Chaines and Watches of this City and then marched to the Lord Majors house there assaulted the Lord Major Sheriffes Committee of the Militia of London and other Magistrates of the same and did shoot into the Lord Majors house beat backe his Guards killed one of them wounded divers others and seized and took away a piece of Ordnance from thence with which they did afterwards slay and wound divers persons and committed many other Outrages All which matters being largely debated and many particulars insisted upon both for the Discovery and Punishment of the said misdemeanours and outrages and also for the preventing of the like for time to come It was at the last concluded and agreed by this Common-councell as followeth First this Common-Councell doth generally conceive that this City was in great danger by reason of the said Outrages and Misdemeanours and that if the same had not so timely beene prevented and stayed the whole City would have been exposed to the fury and rage of the said Malefactors and this Common-councell doth Declare That the same Misdemeanor and Outrage was a horrid and detestable act tending to the destruction of the City and that they do disavow the same and with an utter detestation do Declare their dislike thereof And this Common-councell doe appoint the Committee of the Militia of London to make the same known to the Honourable Houses of Parliament and also to make an humble Request unto them That an Order may be issued forth from them to the several Ministers of this City and the places adjacent that they may be directed to give publique Thanks to Almighty God the Author of this great and wonderfull deliverance from that imminent danger wherein this City and parts adjacent were involved And further the said Committee are appointed by this Court to apply themselves to the Honourable Houses of Parliament for the obtaining of a speciall Commission of Oyer Terminer for the trying and punishing of the Malefactors that had a hand in this detestable action according to the known Laws of this Land And this Court with thankfull hearts do acknowledge the instruments under God by which they obtained this Deliverance to be by the Forces raised and continued by the Parliament under the command of his Excellency the Lord Generall Fairfax and to manifest the same this Common-councell do also Order That the said Committee of the Militia in the Name of the City as a thing agreed upon by an unanimous consent shall return their hearty Thanks to his Excellency for his speedy and seasonable Ayd afforded unto the City in this their great straight and danger And this Court with a general consent do well approve of the Endeavours of the said Committee of the Militia for London for the raising of the Forces of the City and in their procuring of the said ayd and help from his Excellency in this Extremity and what else they have done for the appeasing and suppressing of the said Tumul s. And this Court do give Thanks to the said Committee of the Militia for their care and pains by them taken upon this sad occasion And they doe appoint Mr. Alderman Fowk to declare the same their Thanks to such of the said Committee as are not of this Court And this Court doth also with all thankfulnesse acknowledge the pains and care of the Right Honourable the Lord Major and the Right Worshipfull the Sheriffes of this City therein And this Court doe generally declare That it is the duty of every Citizen of this City by himselfe and all that doe belong unto him or is under his command to be ready upon all occasions to be ayding and assisting unto the Lord Major and the rest of the Magistrates of this City for the suppressing of all tumults and disorders within the same And the severall persons now present at this Common councel by the holding up of their hands have promised That for the time to come they will use their utmost endeavour and be ready upon all occasions to doe the same MICHEL A rising in Norwich where they seised upon the Magazine and those that fired the same were destroyed but those that were cordiall friends to the Parliament being underneath the house fell part of it upon them that part below them and the powder were all saved one having his head seen was digged out after he was out he told of others untill all were digged out without losse of life or limbe Sir Marmaduke Langdale tooke Barwicke by vertue of a Commission from the Prince Sir Thomas Glenham and Sir Phillip Musgrave tooke Carlile Sir Gilbert Errington took Harbotle Castle in Northumberland for the King The Commissioners of the Parliament of England presented a paper to the Parliament of Scotland to declare against those in Barwicke and Carlile but it was laid aside no answer to any other papers the Commissioners of the Kirke of Scotland have declared against the Declaration of the Parliament of Scotland the Parliament past another Declaration and putting it to vote whether it should be sent at all to the Commissioners of the Kirke it was resolved in the negative the Commissioners of War sit daily to put the Kingdome into a posture nothing talked of but War divers new colours preparing for severall Regiments The routing of the Welch in Southwales under the command of Major General Laughorne being 8000. Horse and Foot took all their Ammunition and Armes 25. Captaines 32. Lieutenants 27. Ensignes 10. private Gentlemen Souldiers in custody 2000. FINIS