KING' 's Most Excellent Majesty Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Duke of Lauderdale Marquess of Worcester Earl of Ossory Lord Chamberlain Earl of Sunderland Earl of Clarendon Earl of Essex Ear of Bathe Earl of Craven Earl of Aylesbury Lord Bishop of London Lord Bishop of Durham Lord Maynard Mr. Vice-Chamberlain His Majesty was this day pleased to Command that the Declaration hereafter following be Entered in the Council-Book it being all Written and Signed by his Majesty's Own Hand in a Paper which his Majesty this day delivered at the Board to be Kept in the Council Chest viz. FOR the avoiding of Any dispute which may happen in time to come concerning the Succession of the Crown I do hereby Declare in the Presence of Almighty God That I Never gave nor made any Contract of Marriage nor was Married to any Woman whatsoever but to My present Wife Queen Catherine now Living White-Hall the Third day of March 1679. CHARLES R. His Majesty Commanded us who were present at the making and Signing this Declaration to attest the same Finch C. Danby Lauderdale Worcester Ossory Arlington Sunderland Clarendon Essex Bathe Craven Aylesbury H. London N. Durham W. Maynard G. Carteret In April Last We found the same Rumour not only Revived again but also Improved with New Additions to wit It was given out That there was a Writing yet Extant and lately produced before several Persons whereby the said Marriage or Contract at least for the Report was Various would appear and that there are several Lords and others yet Living who were pretended to have been present at the said Marriage We Knew full well that it was Impossible that any thing of this should be true there being Nothing more Groundless and False then that there was any such Marriage or Contract between Vs and he said Mrs. Walters alias Barlow Yet We proceeded to call before Vs and caused to be Interrogated in the Council such Lords and other persons as the Common Rumour did Surmise to have been present at the pretended Marriage or to Know something of it or of the said Writing And Though it appeared to all Our Council upon the Hearing of the said Lords and other persons severally Interrogated and upon their denying to have been present at any such Marriage or to Know any thing of it or of any such Writing That the Raising and Spreading of such a Report so incoherent in the several parts of it was the Effect of deep Malice in some few and of Loose and Idle discourse in others Yet We think it Requisite at this time to make Our Declarations above recited more Publick and to Order the Same as We do hereby with the Advice of Our Privy Council to be forthwith Printed and Published And We do again upon this Occasion call Almighty God to Witness and Declare upon the Faith of a Christian and the Word of a King That there was never any Marriage or Contract of Marriage had or made between Vs and the said Mrs. Walters alias Barlow the Duke of Monmouth's Mother or between Vs and any Woman whatsoever Our Royal Confort Queen Catherine that now is Excepted And We do hereby Strictly Require and Command all Our Subjects whatsoever That they presume not to Vtter or Publish any thing contrary to the Tenor of this Our Declaration at their Peril and upon pain of being proceeded against according to the Vtmost Severity and Rigour of the Law Given at our Court at White-Hall the Second day of June in the Two and thirtieth Year of Our Reign On the 15th of the same Month of June Mr. Attorney General by his Majesties Command moved in the Court of Chancery That these Declarations might be Enrolled and made a Record of that Court for the preservation of them and in order thereunto the Rords and others of his Majesties Privy Council who were present when his Majesty made and Signed those Declarations and were Now in Court being desired to Attest the same They did it upon their Oaths as did likewise the Clerks of the Council and then it was Ordered That the said Declarations should be enrolled accordingly And when about this time his Majesty had sent the Duke of Monmouth to reside for some time beyond the Seas that he might not be made a Stale to these Mens ill designs they wrought so much upon him that he returned without his Majesties Leave and all his Places which were of great Value as well as Trust Power and Honour were taken from him In the Last Parliament at Westminster the 10th day of January 1680. The Commons past these Votes Resolved That it is the Opinion of this House That James Duke of Monmouth hath been Removed from his Offices and Commands by the Influence of the Duke of York Ordered That an humble Application be made to His Majesty from this House by such Members thereof as are of his Majesties Most Honourable Privy Council to desire his Majesty to Restore the said James Duke of Monmouth to his said Offices and Commands Now let it be Considered That there was not the least regard had to the Duke of Monmouth or his Interest till this day in all that Session of Parliament and now when it was said they should be Prorogued and all the reason in the world to believe that a Dissolution would follow the last day in probability they were to Sit his Majesty being also disoblig'd by the Votes about the Revenue so that it could not be Expected that almost any thing could be granted and when they could not Hope to see any effect of it they passed these two Votes For what might be expected from it let his Grace the Duke of Monmouth and all the World Judge I have heard some men insinuate that the Duke of Monmouth was sent into Scotland tho there was no need of him that by that Defeat of the Dissenters he might be rendered odious to their Partisans here in England and so be turned out of all his Places and No man Concern himself for him he having as they would insinuate no Friends in England but they To which I answer That it ought to be Considered that on the one Side his Majesty who is the Father of the Duke appears whom all the World his worst Enemies not Excepted acknowledg to be a Prince of a God-like Goodness and Clemency to his very Enemies and on the other Side a Company of Men who have given large Demonstrations that they are Enemies to Monarchy it self and therefore not likely to be over-kind to any of the Royal Family but for ill Ends and such as the Duke hath no reason to promote if he did perfectly Understand them Now let any man reflect upon this and then pronounce as his Reason shall direct him whether his Majesty or the Anti-Court Party were likeliest to design the Ruine of the Duke that is A Kind Father or an Enraged and disobliged Enemy To say here as they commonly do That his Majesty was imposed
that shame and confusion they deserve who through their sides strike at the Lords Anointed and endeavour to ruine both the Church and State by changing the Government from a Monarchy to a Common-wealth as experience taught us once before when the Crown soon followed the Miter and the Temporal Lords the Bishops On Wednesday four of the five Lords in the Tower were brought to the House of Lords and heard the Articles readagainst them and had Copies of them and were assigned their Counsel for matter of Law but not for matter of Fact and had time to answer till the 15th Instant But the Lord Bellasys not being able to appear by reason he was lame of the Gout was excused and had a Copy of the Articles sent him On Monday the 14th of April at a conference the Lords consented to pass the Bill against the Earl of Danby without any amendment Wednesday the 16th of April A Bill for securing the King and Kingdom against the growh and Danger of Popery was read the second time and commttied to a Committee The same day a Message was brought from the Lords that the E. of D. had rendered himself and was sent to the Tower And by another Message word was sent that the four Lords had Appeared had sent in their Answers to the Articles upon which they had been proceeded against which Answers they sent down to the Commons being the Originalls and the Lords desired the return of them with all convenient speed that they might consider of them And then the Commons Voted his Majesty a supply for the Disbanding the rest of the Forces not disbanded by the former Act. To be levied by a Land Tax in six Months By which all Forces raised or brought over from Foreign parts since the 29th of September 1677. were to be disbanded The Commission Officers being to be paid only to the first of this April The next day a debate arising Thursday the 17 of April whether the Mony for Disbanding the Army should be paid into the Exchequer it was carried in the Affirmative by 60 Voices A Committee of Secrecy was appointed to prepare and draw up evidence against the E. of Danby and also further Articles as they should see cause On Friday the 25th of April a Bill for prevention of raising Mony upon the Subjects but by Act of Parliament was read the first time and ordered to be read a second time A Bill for exporting Cloth to Turkie was read a first time and ordered to be read again The same day the E. of D. and John Lord Bellasys appeared at the Bar of the House of Lords and put in their several Answers which were sent down to the Commons with desire they might be returned with all convenient speed On Saturday it was resolved in the House of Commons 26 of April that they would the Friday following take into consideration how to make the law for prohibiting the importation of French Commodities more effectual William Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Wardour and William Earl of Powis Appeared this day at the Bar of the House of Lords and retracted their former Plea's and put in their Answers which were by a Message sent down to the Commons which were read and referred to the Committee of Secrecy belonging to the said House This day the House of Commons resolved Nemine Contradicente That this House will sit to morrow to consider of the best means to secure and preserve the Kings person and also the Protestant Religion against the Attempts of the Papists both in the Reign of his Majesty and his Successors And accordingly they did sit and began the day very inauspiciously with reading an Address to his Majesty for the Execution of Pickering who as they said had been imployed by some of the Conspirators to execute their Execrable design of Murdering his Majesty and upon his Tryal was found guilty thereof as also of divers Priests and Jesuits who stood then Condemned by his Majesties Judges at the Old-Bayley and in several of the Circuits Upon which Offenders they humbly desired immediate Execution might be done to the terror of all such wicked persons who by their daily Traiterous practises do justify the prudence of their Ancestors in making such Laws and manifest the necessity of putting them in Execution And though there is nothing to be said for the men yet I wish they had not made this severe motion on a Lord's day it being none of those works of Charity and Mercy 29. Car. Cap. 7. no nor necessity neither which are commendable on that day and this might as well have been done on any other day Then they proceeded to the work appointed and Voted in the first place That a Bill be brought in upon the debate of the House to Banish all Papists or reputed Papists from London and Westminster and twenty Miles of the same for Six Months and to confine all those that live above twenty Miles from London within five Miles of their own Habitations under penalties and referred it to a Committee to draw up the same And then Secondly Resolved Nemine Contradicente That the Duke of York being a Papist and the hopes of his coming such to the Crown have given the greatest countenance and encouragement to the present Conspirators and designs of the Papists against the King and the Protestant Religion Resolved That the concurrence of the Lords be desired to this Vote Ordered that the Committee of Secrecy draw up a Narative of all such matters as concern the D. of Y. relating to the present Plot contained in such Papers as they have in their hands and present the same to the House on Wednesday next And then they adjourned the debate till Monday following The next day being Monday the 28th of March the House attended his Majesty with the said Address for the Executing Pickering c. To which his Majesty reply'd Gentlemen I Have always been tender in matters of blood which my Subjects have no reason to take exception at but this is a matter of great weight I shall therefore consider of it and return you an answer So little was this mercifull Prince exasperated by all the practises against him On Wednesday the 30th of April his Majesty sent for the Commons up to the Lords House and made this Speech to the two Houses My Lords and Gentlemen THe Season of the Year advancing so fast I thought it necessary to put you in mind of three particulars 1. Prosecuting the Plot 2. Disbanding the Army 3. Providing a Fleet for our common security And to shew you that whilst you are doing your parts my thoughts have not been misimployed but that it is my constant care to do every thing that may preserve your Religion and secure it for the future in all events I have commanded my Lord Chancellor to mention several particulars which I hope will be an evidence that in all things that concern the Publick security I
shall not follow your zeal but lead it The Lord Chancellor spoke thus My Lords and you the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons THat Royal care which his Majesty hath taken for the general quiet and satisfaction of all his Subjects is now more evident by these new and fresh instances of it which I have in command to open to you His Majesty hath considered with himself that it is not enough that your Religion and Liberty is secure during his own Reign but he thinks he owes it to his people to do all that in him lies that these blessings may be transmitted to your posterity and so well secured to them that no succession in after Ages may be able to work the lest alteration And therefore his Majesty who hath often said in this place that he is ready to consent to any Laws of this kind so that the same extend not to alter the descent of the Crown in the Right Line nor to defeat the Succession hath now commanded this to be further explained And to the end it may never be in the power of any Papist if the Crown descend upon him to make any change either in Church or State I am commanded to tell you that his Majesty is willing that provision may be made first to distinguish a Papist from a Protestant Successor then to limit and circumscribe the Authority of a Popish Successor in these cases following that he may be disabled to do any harm first in reference to the Church his Majestie is content that care may be taken that all Ecclesiastical and spiritual Benefices and promotions in the Gift of the Crown may be conferred in such a manner that we may be sure the Incumbents shall always be of the most Pious and learned Protestants And that no Popish Successor while he continues so may have any power to controul such preferments In reference to the State and civil part of the Government as it is already provided that no Papist can sit in either House of Parliament so the King is pleased that it be provided too that there may never want a Parliament when the King shall happen to dy But that the Parliament then in being may continue indissolvable for a compleat time or if there be no Parliament then in being then that the last Parliament which was in being before that time may reassemble and sit a competent time without any new Summons or Elections And as no Papist can by Law hold any place of trust so the King is content that it may be further provided that no Lords or other of the Privy Council no Judges of the common Law nor in Chancery shall at any time during the Reign of any Popish Successor be put in or displaced but by the Authority of Parliament And that care also be taken that none but sincere Protestants may be Justices of the Peace In reference to the Military part the King is willing that no Lord Lieutenant or Deputy Lieutenant nor no Officer in the Navy during the Reign of any Popish Successor be put out or removed but either by Authority of Parliament or of such persons as the Parliament shall intrust with such Authority 'T is hard to invent another restraint to be put upon a Popish Successor considering how much the Revenue of the Successor will depend upon consent of Parliament and how impossible it is to raise mony without such consent But yet if any thing else can occur to the Wisdom of the Parliament which may further secure Religion and liberty against a Popish Successor without defeating the Right of Succession it self his Majesty will most readily consent to it Thus watchful is the King for all your safety and if he could think of any thing else that you do either want or wish to make you happy he would make it his business to effect it for you God Almighty long continue this blessed Union between the King and his Parliament and people The House of Commons returning resolved to Adjourn the consideration of his Majesties Speech till the next Monday Morning And now let any man but seriously consider the Condescention of these proposals and that they were franlly and freely offered before the House of Commons had obliged themselves in point of Honour to stand to any Vote of Exclusion for that was not then made and he must then be amazed to see to what extremities matters have proceeded during that and the two last Parliaments But who can brook the impudence of those men who have notwithstanding this by Tales and Pamphlets endeavoured to represent his sacred Majesty to his people as a favourer of Papists and Popery Some men may possibly say that all this will not infallibly secure us against Popery and I say nothing can make any thing in this lower world steady and unalterable but it is more likely to do it than the exclusion Bill because it disarms a Popish Successor of the tempration and opportunity of enslaving us by force where as the other puts the Sword into his hand and compells him to try his fortune for the whole the event of which is much more uncertain than some pretend who trusting now to force and number will in likelyhood find themselves disappointed by men and punished by God for their distrust of his providence and reliance on the Arm of Flesh if not ruined by their over great confidence in the number of their party which often have deceived men in such occasions But this it not the place of these considerations but that they broke loose here against my will On Thursday the Commons gave leave to bring in a Bill 1. of May. that when any Member of their House is preferred to any Office or place of profit a new Writ should immediately issue out for Electing of a Member to serve in his stead This was to keep the party together and to prevent the Ministers from bying off any of them by preferment Seasonable Address to both Houses p. 10. and it is to be wished it had passed for that would have lessened their Numbers and have taken off all those that hoped to rise by opposition to the Court as they call it but indeed to the King and the Morarchy In the interim it may be a caution to the Country that they take not all these Gentlemen to be what they pretend to be for that apparently some of them were driving a Market for Preferments how much soever they had clamoured their predecessors on that account This day also Dr. John Nalson who had been a long time Imprisoned and put to vast charge for Writing the Letter of Advice from a Jesuite in Paris to his correspondent in London was discharged without assigning any reason or Law for this way of proceeding against him which was never yet used against any of the Writers of the most virulent Libells against the Government and Religion by Law established and they Voted also that an
Danby sending a Petition to the Lords that his Counsel durst not appear to defend his case by reason of the Vote of the Commons the Lords at a Conference desired to know if there were any such Vote to which the Commons would not answer Sir Robert Howard acquainting them there had been paid from our Lady-day 1676 to the 20th of March 1679 the Sum of 252467 lb. 1 s. 9 d. for Secret Services They ordered that Mr. Charles Bertie should be taken into Custody of the Sergeant at Armes attending their House And in the Next place they ordered that all the Members that were of the Long Robe of their house should prepare themselves with Reasons against the pardon pleaded by the E. of Danby Which was very necessary now that no body durst defend it So the Lords Ordered the E. to be returned to the Tower in safety On Sunday the Lords agreed to the demand of the Commons for the appointing a Committee of both Houses to state the Preliminaries of the tryals to be had to meet the next day May 11. And then the Commons proceeded to Vote that a Bill be brought in to disable the Duke of York to inherit the Imperial Crown of this Realm and appointed a Committee to draw the same Which was in pursuance of their former Vote on Sunday the 27th of April Though the Lords who had been twise desired to concur in that vote had given no answer to it Out of an apprehension perhaps that his Majesties Life might be indangered upon this Vote they resolved Nemine Contradicente That in defence of the Kings person and the Protestant Religion this house doth declare that they will stand by his Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes and that if his Majesty should come by any violent death which God forbid that they will revenge it to the utmost upon the Papists As if it had been impossible his Majesty should be murthered by any other then a Papist or that it had been any consolation to his Majesty to have known that his death should have been revenged to the utmost on them who ever had been the cause or procurers of it This prov'd the occasion of breaking all the following Parliaments to this day and thereby to secure the Popish Lords in the Tower from Tryal and to prevent all the excellent Laws that were then under consideration against Popery from ever being brought to pass And finally it prov'd an obstacle of union between the King and the Houses to the great advantage of our Enemies at home and abroad to the great hazard of the Nation and more especially of the Protestant Religion which was pretended to be secured by it I shall say more of this Vote and the former hereafter when the effects of them will appear better then they did at first On Wednesday his Majesty sent another Message to the Commons to put them again in mind of the Fleet May 14. and let them know he would acquit himself of the evil consequences which the want of a Fleet in such a juncture might produce and that the entering upon it could be no hinderance to the other great affairs on their hands but rather a Security in the dispatch thereof Upon which a debate arising they adjourn'd the Consideration of this Message till Monday Sennight after which had the appearance of a denial On Thursday there arose a Controversy betwixt the two Houses about the Bishops May 15. for the Lords having Voted that the Lords Spiritual have a right to stay and sit in Court till the Court proceed to the Vote of Guilty or not guilty The Commons opposed it and said that the Lords Spiritual ought not to have any Vote in any proceedings upon impeachments against the Lords in the Tower involving the E. of Danby's case with the other Lords though it was vastly different And indeed from hence arose this contest the Commons imagining that the Bishops would be for the validity of his pardon and so make a major Vote in that House and therefore as they had deprived him of his Counsel before so now the business was to out the most favourable part as they thought of his Judges The same day the Bill to disinherit the D. of York was read the first time and Ordered a second reading On Saturday a Vote of the House of Lords was read in the House of Commons May 17. 16 May 1679. Resolved by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled that Thursday next be appointed to begin the Tryals of the five Lords in the Tower viz. the E. of Powis c. After which resolution the Lords Spiritual asked the leave of that house that they might withdraw themselves from the Tryals of the said Lords with the Liberty of entring their usual Protestations Upon which the Commons Resolved That it be given as an instruction to their Committee to insist upon the former Vote of this House That the Lords Spiritual ought not to have any vote in any Proceedings against the Lords in the Tower and when that matter shall be setled as they please for the Lords had setled it and the method of proceedings adjusted this House shall then be ready to proceed upon the Tryal of the E. of Danby against whom the House hath already demanded judgment and afterwards to the Tryal of the other five Lords in the Tower So here was the two Houses in their Votes point blank against one another I shall here take notice of some Arguments that passed betwixt the Lords and the Commons as they are expressed in the Lords Journal On Tuesday the 13th of May The Commons desired to know concerning the Bishops being present at the Tryals of the Lords impeached to which the Lords made this Answer That it belonged not to the Commons to be concerned in the Constituting parts of the Court upon such Tryals but that the judgment of this matter belongs entirely to the Lords and when they have adjudged it the Commons cannot alter it and therefore should not debate it Upon which the Commons acknowledged that Judgment after Tryal is in the Lords but their Lordships are not to give judgment unless the Commons demand it and that the Commons desire to know whether the Lords will proceed in these Tryals as their Lordships did anciently for if the Bishops should sit upon these Tryals they should not demand Judgment but being dissatisfied with their being there and it may be the Commons may proceed by Bill To which the Lords made Answer that after the Evidence is fully heard they are bound to give judgment of Condemnation or Acquittal but this being a matter of Judicature the Lords declared that they would impose silence upon themselves and debate it no further The Commons further desired to know whether the Bishops should be allowed to vote upon the Validity of the pardon of the E. of Danby which they account no Preliminary but the very essence of the Tryal On
had not satisfied him but rather trifled he would receive no more messages from them And to shew them he was in Earnest whatever they were commanded his Cannon to fire which it no sooner did but the Rebels who were drawn up on the other side upon a rising ground near the Bridge threw themselves upon the ground to avoid the shot But those that were placed upon the Bridge fired at first pretty briskly but after five or six Cannon shot they ran away those on the rising ground beginning first as they were a sort of tumultuous people fitter to begin then carry on a War The Dukes men immediately seized the Bridge and threw into the River their Barracadoes where they took the only piece of Cannon they had of which they had made no use and then followed them up the Hill but their Number being very small the Rebels rallied and faced them but had not the courage to come down upon them So the Dukes Party returned back again to the Bridge and one shot of Cannon more made the Rebels flie to their main Body where they stood again By which one may see here was neither courage nor conduct in these men or their Commanders In the mean time the General passed the Army over the Bridge and drew it up upon the rising ground which took some time and at last a little before they were quite in Order the Rebels advanced upon the Army in very good order but espying the Cannon in the head of the Dukes Army they immediately shifted their Order and opened in the middle thinking it seems they were obliged to shoot streight forward but the Cannon being turn'd upon them as they then stood and discharged three or four times they began to run again their Commander Robert Hamilton being one of the first and the Dukes Dragoons and the Highlanders Advancing upon them in this Confusion it was a perfect Rout and they fled all ways the Dukes men pursuing them In this Skirmish there were killed 7 or 800 and Eleven or 1200 taken Prisoners The Horse were wholly broken and those of the Foot that escaped fled immediately to the Wood in Hamilton Park where the only care was to secure them from flying To which purpose his Grace drew up his Forces and surrounded the Park and sent Collonel Duglas with a detacht Party to ferret them out of the Wood. Of the Dukes Party few men were lost The next day the Duke sent out several Parties to pursue those that were fled marching himself with the Army to a Village within two miles of Streuine and the twenty fourth of June sent all the prisoners which were said to be 11 or 1200 upder the Guard of two Militia-Regiments and Captain Strathan's Troop of Dragoons to Edenborough the Magistrates of which place undertook to secure them with the Town Guards and accordingly put them into an inclosure with high Walls round it at the Back of the Gray Fryers Church The next day the Duke returned to Edenborough to consult with the Lords of the Council how to dispose of the Heretors and Militia-Regiments that had served his Majesty on that occasion against the Rebels as also of those that were then on their march from the several Shires seeing there was then no need of their further Service Which affair being ordered together with such other as he thought most necessary he took Post-Horses and returned to London Thus ended the Scotch Rebellion with the Common fate of such ill grounded enterprises it made them weaker and more hated and strengthened and confirmed the lawful Authority of his Majesty it being the nature of the Vulgar to loath and despise the Innocent when unfortunate much more Rebels and Traitors But then these Zealots like their Predecessors who ruined the Jews and Josephus informs us by their cruelty and furious bloody devotion had bespoke the detestation of all sober men not only by their barbarous assassination of the Primate which was the occasion of this Rebellion but also by their insolence and unaccountable rage and madness during the short time it lasted Of which I will give a few instances They Barbarously treated the dead Body of one Graham an Officer The Spirit of Popery pag. 47. whom they killed at that Conventicle which began the Rebellion upon the account of his Name only They committed insufferable Insolences in the Houses of the Regular Ministers and Loyal Gentlemen as they marched along the Countrey to Glasgow Stabbing Cutting and Gashing his Majesties Picture wheresoever they found it particularly in the House of the Laird of Hagges executing that Treason they had entertained in their hearts upon his Effigies because his Royal Person was out of their reach foolishly at once betraying and disappointing their disloyal designs They behaved themselves barbarously in the house of the Archbishop of Glasgow where they burnt his Books cut in pieces his best Hangings and Furniture and almost killed a Gentlewoman with blows who was left to keep the House only for saying these words Gentlemen I hope you 'l remember that you are in the Archbishops House They sacrilegiously entered the Cathedral of Glasgow and finding a Tomb-stone over the Two Children of the Bishop of Arguile with an Inscription of a Modern date They digged up their Bodies run them through with their Swords and left them lying above the ground And even after they were beaten An Account of the Vidory Printed at London one of the Kings Souldiers going into a Countrey house belonging to one of these Covenanters for a little Meal as he stooped down to take it out of a Chest was by the Master of the House stabbed through the Back for which unmanly Murther he was immediately apprehended and shot to death Which as the Author saith shews the cruel and merciless disposition of that sort of people To which if you add the two insolent Proclamations I have mentioned already it will be no wonder the City of Edenborough received the news of their defeat with the greatest joy imaginable there being nothing to be heard there but joyful acclamations Ringing of Bells and Roaring of Cannons from the Castle and good store of Bonfires besides all men dreading to fall into the hands of such Godly Villains and therefore rejoycing at their Ruine The Conclusion And now my dear Country men if you will but be pleased to reflect seriously and impartially upon what I have written with great pains for your information I doubt not but you will conclude with me that as never any Prince treated a People with more Candour and Lenity then his Majesty did upon this juncture so there were some that made very unsuitable returns to his goodness and plainly discovered that the peace of the Kingdom was not so truly aimed at by some of them as it was intended by him Notwithstanding their loud pretences of preserving and settling the Protestant Religion which is inseparably annexed to and bound up in the other How far they imploy'd
these being for the most part men of Authority in their Country so quelled this many-headed Hydra that the triple Cordial of a Commons Vote have not been able since to Revive it And so I shall take my leave of it till I come to those Votes and the proceedings upon them In the Interim I desire my dear Countrymen they would reflect Seriously upon what is here said and remember what fruits they reaped of this pernicious seed the last time they were prompted by this Sort of men to the use of it and how they Treated the Surrey and Kentish men for using it to a purpose for which it was never designed the procuring PEACE His Majesty therefore Prorogued the Parliament from the 17th of October to the 26 of January and then meeting them in Person and making a Gracious Speech to them Prorogued them to the 15th of April and then to the 17th of May and from thence to the First of July and so on to the 22d of the same and thence to the 23d of August and from thence to the 21. of October 1679. when he declared they should finally Sit according to his former Resolution which the Petitions had more confirmed him in In the Interim several things hapned worth the taking Notice of as giving us some Light into the Designs of the Common-wealth Party and the Temper of the Dissenters by which we may Judge what we shall meet with at their hands if ever they prevail again The first I will Instance in was their Treatment of the London Apprentices Some of them had been busy in Burning the Pope and after that had been drawn in to Sign the Petition but finding they had disobliged others by it L'Estrange's Narr of the Plot pag. 15. 4 to to give some Satisfaction they gave Notice in Print That they would burn the Rump the 29th of May following and this was taken for such an affront by the Young Gentlemen of that Old Family of Rumpers that presently all the Prentices were made Traytors Conspirators most of them said to be Papists for which several of them were Imprisoned and it was much grief of heart to the Merciful Rumpers too that they were not Hanged and one of them with great regret told the following Parliament That he thought Cap. Tom. was at Tangier Exact Collection of Debated p. 112. who should have headed the Apprentices Mutiny in London and if saith the Gentleman I be not Mis-informed is a Captain too for that intended Eminent Service A Sad Story if it was true and there was no mis-information in the case some where or other but this was onely meant for a Kind Reflection on the Government which is grown of late strangely in Love with Mutinies and doubtless made Capt. Tom a Captain there not onely to reward him for his Eminent Intended Service in London but to put him into a Capacity of promoting a Tumult or Mutiny there too Upon this Occasion I am shrewdly tempted to remember some of the 41. Tumults and Mutinies in behalf of the Rump but because they were not Popish but Puritan Mutinies and for the Service of the Common-wealth of England I will forbear it Onely I will give the World a Caution not to be mightily Surprized if afterwards the Late Addressing Apprentices be clawed away for Papists and Mutineers too If there be not too many of them In the beginning of May his Majesty had two or three Fits of an Ague which went off again without any great hazard to his Life yet this occasioned some considerable Events In one of the Fits there was some tampering among his back-Friends for the Proclaiming his Grace the D. of M. King in case his Majesty should die of that Sickness About that time that there was a Pamphlet Printed to make out a Title for him too pretending to some Strange Discoveries to be made of a Black Box that should do the D. much Kindness but tho his Majesty and the Privy-Council took all the Care imaginable to discover the Author of this Black Box-discourse it could not be found And to prevent the Ill Effects of such Rumors for the future his Majesty Published a Declaration the 2 d. of June 1679. which tho it hath been already printed and is Long yet because it may be very hard to produce it some Years hence I will take the pains to Insert it here from the Gazette of the 7th of June 1680. CHARLES R. WE cannot but take Notice of the great Industry and Malice wherewith some men of a Seditious and Restless Spirit do spread abroad a most False and Scandalous Report of A Marriage or Contract of Marriage supposed to be had and made between Vs and one Mrs. Walters alias Barlow now Deceased Mother of the present Duke of Monmouth aiming thereby to fill the Minds of Our Loving Subjects with Doubts and Fears and if possible to divide them into Parties and Factions and as much as in them lies to bring into question the Clear Vndoubted Right of Our True and Lawful Heirs and Successors to the Crown We have therefore thought Our Self Obliged to Let our Loving Subjects see what steps We cut of Our Care of them and their Posterity have already made in order to Obviate the Ill Consequences that so dangerous and Malicious a Report may have in Future Times upon the Peace of Our Kingdoms In January Last was Twelvemonth We made a Declaration written with Our Own Hand in the Words following THere being a False and Malicious Report Industriously spread abroad by Some Who are Neither Friends to Me nor the Duke of Monmouth as if I should have been Either Contracted or Married to his Mother and though I am most Confident that this Idle Story cannot have any Effect in this Age Yet I thought it my Duty in relation to the true Succession of this Crown and that future Ages may not have any pretence to give disturbance upon that Score or any other of this Nature to declare as I do here declare in the presence of Almighty God That I was never Married nor gave any Contract to any Woman whatsoever but to My Wife Queen Catherine to whom I am now Married In Witness whereof I have set My Hand at White-Hall the Sixth of January 1679. This Declaration I made in the Presence of CHARLES R. W. Cant. H. Finch C. H. Coventry J. Williamson To strengthen which Declaration We did in March following which was March last was Twelve-month make a more Publick Declaration in Our Privy Council written likewise with Our Own Hand and having caused a true Transcript thereof to be Entred in Our Council Books We Signed it and caused the Lords of Our Privy Council then attending Vs in Council to Subscribe the same likewise and We Ordered the Original to be kept in the Council Chest where it Now remains The Entry whereof in the Council Book is in these words following At the Court at White-Hall March 3 d. 1679. Present The
the Letters Papers and Evidences which have been delivered to the Privy Council relating to the said Plot. This Afternoon they Waited upon his Majesty with their Address for the Preservation of his Person and Government c. On Munday the First day of November Mr. Secretary Jenkins told the House the Papers they had Addressed for had been sent to the Committee of the House of Lords for Examination of the Plot the 24th of October The Bill for wearing of Woollen was also read and committed Then the Speaker Reported the King's Answer to their Address for Preservation of his Majesties Person and the Protestant Religion which was as followeth I Thank you very heartily for your Zeal for the Protestant Religion and I assure you there shall be nothing wanting on my part at Home or Abroad to preserve it Sir Francis Winnington Chairman of the Committee for Inspecting the Journals of the Two last Parliaments concerning the Proceedings relating to the Popish Plot reported a general abstract of the same which was Ordered to be perfected and that they should inspect those of the House of Lords for the same time Then one Hardwich a Linnen-Draper being accused of some Misdemeanors against one Seignior Francisco a Witness in the Popish Plot was Ordered to be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant Attending their House to answer the same This was to punish a man before they knew whether he were guilty or no upon a bare Suggestion On Tuesday the 2 d. of November A Bill for prohibiting the Importation of Irish Cattel was read and committed And then one Harnage was ordered to be brought to the Bar for abusing Francisco Ferria And then they Voted an Address to his Majesty for a pardon for Dangerfield and that he would take him and Mr. Dugdale Mr. Prance and this Seignior F. Ferria into his Royal Care and Protection But these were small matters to what follow Resolved Nemine Contradicente That the Duke of York's being a Papist and the Hopes of his coming such to the Crown hath given the greatest Countenance and Encouragement to the present Designs and Conspiracies against the King and Protestant Religion Resolved That in defence of the King's Person and Government and of the Protestant Religion this House doth declare That they will stand by his Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes and that if his Majesty shall come by any violent death which God forbid they will Revenge it to the Vttermost upon the Papists who ever did it Resolved That a Bill be brought in to disable the Duke of York to Inherit the Imperial Crown of this Realm On Tuesday the 3 d. day of November the Lords sent down an Act they had passed for the better Regulating the Trials of the Peers of England to which they desired the Concurrence of the Commons and it was read the same day and committed Mr. Harnage being then brought to the Bar was continued in Custody of the Serjeant during the Pleasure of the House Not one tittle being inserted concerning the Nature of his Misdemeanor The Committee for Examination of the Journals were also appointed to inspect the Impeachments against the Lords in the Tower and the proceedings thereupon And they were also to prepare Evidence against the said Lords And in the mean time they Voted Resolved Nemine Contradicente That a Bill be brought in for the better Vniting of all his Majesties Protestant Subjects This was now a New Name for a Toleration as I will make it appear Ordered That Sir Tho. Whitegrave and Mr. Birch of Stafford Apothecary and Lieutenant Ellis be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant to answer to the Charge given against them by Mr. Dugdale Ordered That Herbert Herring be sent for in Custody c. for a Notorious Breach of Priviledge by him committed against Mr. Colt a Member of their House No account how or when being given But Jeremiah Bubb was onely Summoned to appear at the Bar to answer for a Breach of Priviledge committed against Mr. Colt The Bill for Prohibiting the Importation of Irish Cattel was read the second time and committed And Leave was given to bring in a Bill for the Exportation of Leather On Thursday the 4th of November the said Bill was read the first time and Ordered a second reading And then Mr. Secretary Jenkins Reported his Majesty's Answer concerning the Informers against the Popish Plot which was That Care had and should be taken of them Ordered That a Committee be appointed to inspect the Act intituled Trade Encouraged made in the 15th Year of his Majesties Reign and to bring in a Bill for prohibiting of Scotch Cattel at certain Seasons And then after some Debates and Votes concerning Elections of which I shall take no Notice The Bill for disabling the D. of York to Inherit was read the first time and committed Ordered That a Committee be appointed to Inspect the Laws that are in being touching the Maintenance of the Poor and to bring in a Bill or Bills for Regulating and preventing the encrease of the Poor in this Kingdom On Saturday the 6th of November it was Ordered That a Committee be appointed to Inspect the Law concerning the Anniversary Reading of the Narrative of the Gunpowder-Plot in Churches on every Fifth day of November and to Report the same to the House Resolved N. C. That it is the Opinion of this House That the Acts of Parliament made in the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James against Popish Recusants Ought not to be Extended against Protestant Dissenters It would have been well if we had been told why they ought not to be Extended to all that break them one as well as another And then how it should be possible to distinguish these two Sorts of offenders one from the other the offence being Exactly the same tho the cause be a little different And then thirdly if a Bill had been brought in for that purpose for the Votes of the House of Commons are no binding Expositions of Law nor I hope never will be Lastly this Vote was needless if the Bill of Vnion went on and to no purpose if it did not as I suppose they understand Now. Ordered That a Committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a Bill for Repeal of all or any part of the Act of Parliament made in the 35th Year of the Reign of Queen Eliz. Cap. 1. Printed in the Statute Book of Pulton This was a severe Act against the Dissenters and they were Now to be Countenanced and Encouraged to the utmost for what end and purpose is not difficult to be guessed by their Insolence against the King and Government A Bill for Exportation of Cloth and other Woollen Manufactures into Turkey was read the first time and committed The Bill to disable the Duke of York was read the Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House with a Resolution declared that it should Extend to the Person of the Duke of
York Onely and that Committee was appointed on the next Munday Morning at Ten of the Clock And accordingly it was that day Debated and some Clauses added to it On Tuesday the Ninth of November his Majesty sent the Commons another Message by Mr. Secretary Jenkins which was as followeth CHARLES R. HIS Majesty desires this House as well for the Satisfaction of his People as of Himself to Expedite such Matters as are depending before them relating to Popery and the Plot and would have them rest assured That all Remedies they can tender to his Majesty conducing to those Ends shall be very acceptable to him Provided they be such as may Consist with preserving the Succession of the Crown in its Due and Legal Course of Descent On Wednesday the 10th of November A Bill for Regulating the Elections of Members to Serve in Parliament for the House of Commons was read the first time and ordered to be read the second time And the same day the Bill for prohibiting the Importation of Irish Cattel was read the third time and passed and sent up to the Lords Now let the Reader observe there was not one Publick Bill passed through the House of Commons in all this time but this and yet no Bill was more opposed than this but here the priyate Concerns of the North and West Country Gentlemen were Engaged and therefore they carried it on Might and Main against all opposition but as for any Bills against Popery they took no care or thought for that against the Duke of York may perhaps be made to appear to be of another Nature then was pretended and rather against any thing then Popery The same day the Lords sent down to the Commons a Bill which they had passed for Freeing the City of London and his Majesty's Court and the Parts adjacent from Popish Inhabitants and providing against other Dangers which may arise from Papists To which they desired their Concurrence Note That this Bill had been sent down from the Lords before and the Commons had lost the opportunity of passing it as you will see they will in this Session also tho there were Tragical representations made of the Danger the City and Nation were in from the Vast Numbers of them which were Seated in and about the City of London The truth is it was not convenient to loose any thing that might serve to fright the People and much better to have Papists in London for that purpose than to have them sent elsewhere and loose the means of Fermenting the Rabble But if men were not as willing to be or at least seem to be cheated as others are to delude them they would soon perceive whose interest it is to keep them in Fears and Jealousies and after discharge their Bug-bears or turn their rage another way The same day they Voted an Address to his Majesty in answer to his last Message And that they would proceed in the prosecution of the Lords in the Tower beginning with William Viscount Stafford On Thursday the 11th of November 1680. A Bill to prevent the offences of Bribery and Debauchery in Elections of Members to Serve in the Commons House of Parliament was Read the first time and ordered to be read again the Monday following with the Bill for Regulating Elections of Members to Serve in the said House formerly mentioned This day the Bill against the Duke of York was read the third time and passed The Title whereof was resolved to be An Act for Securing of the Protestant Religion by Disabling James Duke of York to Inherit the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging And it was ordered that the Lord Russel should carry it up to the Lords for their Concurrence The Bill sent down by the Lords for Freeing the City of London from Popish Recusants was read the first time on Friday 12. Nov. and Ordered a second reading in a full House This day the Commons sent a Message to the Lords to Acquaint them with their Intentions to begin with the Viscount Stafford and to desire them to appoint a Convenient time for the Tryal and that the Lords in the Tower might be Confined and kept from holding Correspondence with one another as persons impeached and committed for High Treason by Law ought to be The Lords answered As to the latter part of this Message They had taken Care already in it and as to the former They appointed Tuesday the Thirtieth day of the same Moneth And they further resolved to Address to his Majesty for a Sum of Money for defraying the Charges of Summoning of Witnesses and other Expences Incident to the Prosecution and Tryals of the Lords in the Tower and appointed Mr. Charles Clare to Receive and Expend the same for which purpose his Majesty gave Order that 100 l. should be Issued out of the Exchequer On Saturday the 13th of November Sir Robert Yeomans being upon his own Petition called to the Bar he Acknowledged his offence and was ordered to receive the Censure of the House upon his Knees to which he submitted and was discharged paying his Fees The Lords returned the Bill against Importing of Irish Cattel agreed to Commons the same day The City of London having Petitioned the House against Sir George Jeffereys their Recorder and it being referred to a Committee they passed this Vote Resolved That this Committee is of Opinion That by the Evidence given to this Committee it does appear that Sir George Jeffereys Recorder of the City of London by traducing and obstructing Petitioning for the Sitting of This Parliament hath betrayed the Rights of the Subject To which the House agreed and Ordered That an Humble Address be made to his Majesty to remove him out of all Publick Offices and appointed a Committee to draw up the same As if it had been likely his Majesty would have so far complyed with them as to have punished the Recorder for obeying his Laws and Proclamation against a Tumultuous and Seditious Sort of men But however his Majesty might Act they had another aim in this for they Voted That the Members of their House that Served for the City of London should communicate this Vote and Resolution of their House to the Court of Aldermen for the City of London This was a sure way to bespeak a Party in the City to Joyn with the House against the Abhorrers They further Ordered That this Committee should enquire into all such persons as have been Advising or Promoting of the late Proclamation stiled A Proclamation against Tumultuous Petitioning Thus having passed thus far without any check from any person they thought they might proceed as far further as they pleased And it is very probable that they were spurred on to this by their Friends and Enemies the one designing to make them Terrible and the other being willing to make them Hated However I am sure they they became more hated than feared by this and
No person should be Admitted to come to them but such as should have occasion to bring them Necessaries On Friday the 10th of December Captain Castle was found and Voted guilty of offending against the Rights of the Subject by Obstructing Petitioning to His Majesty for the Sitting of that Parliament The same day the Commons Ordered an Impeachment to be prepared against Sir Francis North Chief Justice of the Court of Common-Pleas for High Crimes and Misdemeanors viz. for Advising the Proclamation against Tumultuous Petitions Then they Voted That the Imprisonment of one Peter Norris at Dover by the Order of Sir Leoline Jenkins was Illegal and Arbitrary and an Obstruction to the Evidence for the Discovery of the Horrid Popish Plott This was the business for which Sheridon and Day were imprisoned On Munday the 13th A Bill for Exportation of Cloth and other Woollen Manufactures into Turkey being read the second time and a Debate arising thereupon it was Ordered that it should lie upon the Clerks Table They Ordered also That the Committee appointed to look into and prepare Evidence against the Lords in the Tower do Examine the Evidence against all persons concerned in the Popish Plot. And they were to report the Names of such persons together with their Opinions therein to the House upon the Debate And also that Leave should be given to bring in a Bill for Banishing of all Papists and suspected Papists from the Cities of London and Westminster and XX miles of the same with Clauses therein for disarming of all Papists and for Pains and Penalties against all such Papists or suspected Papists as should Ride Go or be Armed And that Lists of them should be brought in by the Members When ever any Law pass against suspected Papists great care ought to be taken to limit that Loose term or great Mischiefs will insue On Tuesday the 14th of December Complaint was made That one Herbert Herring who had been ordered to be taken into Custody for a Breach of Priviledge did abscond himself to avoid the Execution of the said Order whereupon it was Resolved That if he did not render himself by Saturday that House would proceed against him by Bill in Parliament for endeavouring by his absconding to Avoid the Justice of the House This was a way never to want Work if every Fugitive Attorney or Porter that had broke the Priviledge of the House was to be brought in by Bill Sir Robert Peyton a Member of their House was the Next that fell under their displeasure being said to Have had Secret Negotiation with the Duke of Y. by the Means of the Earl of Peterborough Mrs. Cellier and Mr. Gadbury at such time as they were turning the Popish Plot upon the Protestants i. e. the Presbyterians it seems they are THE Protestants For which he was Ordered after his defence to be Expelled the House and to be brought to the Bar to receive the Censure of the House upon his Knees from the Speaker Which was done with so little respect to the Quality of the person that after the Dissolution of the Parliament he sent the Speaker a Challenge for which he was Committed having been before committed to the Serjeant for not being at hand when it should have been first done by the Speaker So he was twice Committed and Expell'd too but by what Law the House of Commons proceeded I know not It is the Interest both of the Members and of Us whom they represent to take care that this be not left to them for here was a Member Expelled not for being a party to that Conspiracy of the Papists but for having Secret Negotiations with the Duke of York at that time and if this be allowed that they may Expel for what cause they please be there Law or be there none then have the greater part of the House an Absolute and Arbitrary power over the lesser part and if either Side do by accident get the Advantage of the other by a Single Vote they may Expel them as they please which must Necessarily end in Confusion and Slavery On Wednesday the 15th of December the House resolved into a Committee of the whole House to Consider of Ways and Means to Secure this Kingdom against Popery and Arbitrary Power and Resolved upon two Votes viz. Resolved Nemine Contradicente That this House doth agree with the Committee That one Means for the Suppressing Popery is That a Bill be brought in to banish immediately all the Considerable Papists of England out of the Kings Dominions Resolved N. C. That this House doth agree with the Committee That a Bill be brought in for an Association of all his Majesties Protestant Subjects for the Safety of his Majesties Person * Note here is no mention of his Majesties Government in this Association the Defence of the Protestant Religion and the Preservation of his Majesties Protestant Subjects against all Invasions and Oppositions whatsoever and for preventing the Duke of York or any Papist from Succeeding to the Crown And ordered a Committee to be appointed to prepare and bring in a Bill pursuant to the first of the said Resolves The latter was taken up to Supply the Bill of Exclusion which bad been thrown out by the Lords and was never prosecuted any further for when they came to draw the Bill it was found impracticable without involving us presently in a Civil War For an Association signifies nothing without a Head to govern and direct it if the King be made the Head then we are where we were and it is to no purpose If another person be made So then there is two distinct Governments in the same Kingdom which can never stand together a Month without imbroyling themselves and the People This the Holy League of France proved Experimentally true and the same Event will always follow Besides there was no reason to Expect that either his Majesty or the House of Lords would yield to this way of Exclusion which was worse than the former Tho if that had passed it would have signified nothing without an Association or a Standing Army as the Author of the Seasonable Address to both Houses of Parliament hath well proved This day also His Majesty made a Speech to both the Houses which I will insert when I come to the Answer of the Commons to it On Thursday the 16th of December A Petition of Divers Inhabitants in the County of Surry Complaining of the proceedings in an Ecclesiastical Court against them being read it was referred to a Committee to bring in a Bill or Bills for Regulating the proceedings of such Courts A Petition of Joshua Brook and other Merchants against the African Company was also read and referred to a Committee Mr. Booth reporting from the Committee to whom the Bill for the better Regulating the Tryals of the Peers of England was committed An Amendment to be made and a Clause to be Added and thereupon a Motion being made to bring in a Clause
and Ordered others to be drawn against Sir Francis North Chief Justice of the Court of Common-Pleas Sir Thomas Jones one of the Justices of the Kings-Bench and Sir Richard Weston one of the Barons of the Exchequer So they were resolved to find themselves work tho they had refused to do the King's Business till that was granted which was impossible to be had this Session of Parliament Thursday the 6th of January A Bill for the more Easie Collecting the Duty of Hearth-Money was read a second time and committed upon the Debate of the House A Bill for Repealing the Act for the Well-Governing of Corporations was read the second time and committed Sir Philip Skippon was Excused from being taken into Custody for his Default in not attending the House in the Call there of the Tuesday before Colonel Birch reporting from the Committee appointed to receive Informations relating to the Popish Plott in Ireland That the Committee having proceeded upon the Matters to them referred had taken several Examinations and received the Answer of Sir John Davis and had also perused several Informations transmitted from the House of Lords relating to the said Plott All which he read in his place and afterwards delivered the same in at the Clerks Table where the same were again read The House then took into Consideration the Message sent from the Lords the Tuesday before wherein they desired the Concurrence of the House and Resolved That the House did agree with the Lords with the addition of these Words That the Duke of York being a Papist and the Expectation of his coming to the Crown hath given the Greatest Countenance and Encouragement thereto as well as to the Horrid Popish Plot in this Kingdome of England And they resolved to deliver the said Vote to the Lords at a Conference and Appointed a Committee to draw up Reasons to be offered at the said Conference Ordered That the several Informations of John Macnamara Maurice Fitz-Gerrald and James Mash that day read to the House relating to the Irish Plot be forthwith Printed Resolved That Rich. Poure Earl of Tyrone in the Kingdom of Ireland be Impeached of High Treason And that the Lord Dursley do go up to the Bar of the Lords and Impeach him c. and pray that he may be Committed to Safe Custody And further Ordered That the Committee appointed to prepare the Evidence against the Popish Lords in the Tower do prepare the said Impeachment Ordered That the further Consideration of the said Report in relation to Arthur Earl of Anglesey and Sir John Davis be Adjourned to Saturday Morning next at Ten of the Clock in a full House When it was Adjourned to Munday following which was their last day and gave them occasion for other Thoughts On Friday the 7th day of January The ingrossed Articles of Impeachment against Sir William Scroggs were Read and sent up to the Lords by the Lord Cavendish A Bill to prevent Vexatious Actions was read the first time and Ordered a second reading A Bill to prevent the Symony of one person from prejudicing another was read the first time and Ordered a second reading The Bill of Discovery of Settlements of Estates for Superstitious Uses was read the second time and committed upon the debate of the House Then the House according to their Order entred into Consideration of his Majesty's Message sent to the House the Tuesday before and Voted as followeth Resolved That it is the Opinion of this House That there is no Security or Safety for the Protestant Religion the King's Life or the Well Constituted and Established Government of this Kingdom without passing a Bill for disabling James Duke of York to Inherit the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging and to rely upon any other means or remedies without such a Bill is not onely Insufficient but dangerous Resolved That his Majesty in his last Message having assured this House of his readiness to Concur in all other means for the preservation of the Protestant Religion this House doth declare That until a Bill be likewise passed for Excluding the Duke of York this House cannot give any Supply to his Majesty without Danger to his Majesties Person Extream Hazard of the Protestant Religion and Vnfaithfulness to Those by whom this House is trusted It seems the loss of Tangier and of all our Alliances abroad did not at all Hazard the Protestant Religion or Endanger his Majesties Person Resolved That all Persons who Advised his Majesty in his last Message to this House to insist upon an Opinion against the Bill for Excluding the Duke of York Have given pernicious Counsel to his Majesty and Are Promoters of Popery and Enemies to the King and Kingdome Resolved That George Earl of Halifax Henry Marquess of Worcester Henry Earl of Clarendon in the Opinion of this House are persons who Advised his Majesty in his last Message to this House to insist upon an Opinion against the Bill for Excluding the Duke of York and have therein given pernicious Counsel to his Majesty and are Promoters of Popery and Enemies to the King and Kingdom Resolved That an Humble Address be presented to his Majesty to remove Lawrence Hide Esq from his Majesties Councils and Presence and from his Office in the Treasury for ever Resolved That an Humble Address be presented to his Majesty to remove Henry Marquess of Worcester from his Presence and Councils and all the Offices and Imployments of Honour and Profit for ever Resolved That it is the Opinion of this House That Lewis Earl of Feversham is a Promoter of Popery and of the French Interest and a Dangerous Enemy to the King and Kingdom Resolved That an Humble Address be made to his Majesty to remove him from all Military Offices and Commands and from all other Publick Offices and Imployments and from his Majesties Councils and Presence for ever But here was no Addresses Voted against George Earl of Halyfax nor Henry Earl of Clarendon A Motion being made also for an Address to his Majesty to remove Edward Seymour Esq from his Majesties Council and Presence it was Adjourned to the Munday following Having taken all this care to Chastise the Great Men who as they believed had opposed them in this great business in the Next place they undertook to Chastise his Majesty Himself and if their design had taken effect as it is to be hoped it Never will his Majesty and all his Successors should have Known what it is to Anger a House of Commons However they meant well for they Resolved That whoever should hereafter Lend or cause to be lent by way of Advance any Money upon the Branches of the King's Revenue arising by Customs Excise or Hearth-Money that is all the principal Branches shall be Adjudged to hinder the Sitting of Parliaments and shall be responsible for the same in Parliament Resolved That whoever shall accept or buy any Tally of Anticipation upon