and noise might be the rudeness of some few newly admitted into that great School of Wisdom the greater part continuing it's possible sincere and loyal therefore the King sends Sir Richard Weston to them requiring satisfaction But the House was slower in the work than was agreeable to his Majesties mind so intent upon some severe Proceedings against them Upon this he called the Lords and them together and by the Lord-Keeper his proper Speaker thus conveys his displeasure to them which being somewhat long and afterwards the Kings Speech also to them I shall refer you to the Book it self Page 24 25 26. The Commons nothing moved with those tart and vinacre expressions kept close to their proper stations and by way of Remonstrance replied the which you may peruse Page the 27th of the same Author To the Remonstrance the King answered briefly That he would have them in the first place consult about matters of the greatest importance and that they should have time enough for other things afterwards But the Parliament accounted nothing of so great importance as a vigorous proceeding against the Duke In order to which all encouragement is given by both Houses to any who would inform against him The Earl of Bristol vigilantly listned for this call and presently Petitioning the House he might be admitted to prefer an Accusation against him His request is readily granted The Duke alarm'd with this Petition Plots amain and high time either to divert or encounter him He perswades the King to send the Earl a Premonitary-Letter framed as a Memorial minding him of all the miscarriages relating to the Spanish Treaty and a Breviate of what became of his future charge and demanding withal his positive Answer Whether he would sit still from being questioned for any Errors past in his Spanish Negotiations and enjoy the benefit of the Pardon granted by the late Parliament or waving the advantage thereof put himself upon a Legal Tryal To this the Earl answered That it became him not as a Subject to urge a Tryal against himself but if His Majesty should call him to it he would willingly submit being confident his innocence would mediate for his future favour As for the Pardon he would not disclaim it though he was consident he should not need it for any Crime of Disloyalty to His Majesty or Treason against the State. The King perceiving by this Reply the Earl resolved to persist commanded the Attorney-General to Summon the Earl to the Lords Bar as a Delinquent May the 1st Bristol appearing the Attorney told the Peers That he came thither to accuse the Earl of High-Treason with that the Earl said My Lords I am a Freeman and a Peer of the Realm unattainted I have somewhat to say of high consequence for his Majesties Service I beseech your Lordships give me leave to speak The Lords bidding him go on Then said he I accuse that Man the Duke of Buckingham of High-Treason the Articles of his Charge you may read Page 28. ut supra When the Earl had ended his Charge up starts no upstart Lord the Lord Spencer Is this all said he you have to say against the Duke The Earl replied Yes my Lord and I am sorry it is so much Then quoth the Lord Spencer if this be all Ridiculus Mus and so sat down again Upon this a Crotchet took the Lord Cromwell in the Crown and out he goes to Mr. Richard Spencer a younger Son of that Lord and a great Zealot in the lower House against the Duke Dick said he what is done in your House to day against the Duke My Lord said he he is charged with no less than High-Treason Tush Dick quoth the Lord High-Treason if this be all Ridiculus Mus. This high and daring challenging by the Earl prompted the Attorney to speed his Accusation against him which having Modell'd into Eleven Articles he brought in the next day Vide page 28. ut supra The Commons having presented their Accusation presently after sent a Message to the Lords desiring that the Duke might be Committed declaring that it did mis-beseem their House to permit a man so deeply Impeacht to sit in Councel with them The Court-party who had nimble Intelligencers understood this design from the very first result and plotted to treat the Commons with uniform Proceedings for at that very time Sir Dudley Diggs and Sir John Elliot were sent for out of the House by two Messengers of the Chamber who upon their coming forth shewed them Warrants for their Commitment to the Tower but it was resolved by the Judges that by their restraint no reason being given to the House for it the whole House was arrested and a Remonstrance was made to the King of their Priviledg whereupon they were released The Commons having sped so well the House of Peers began to claim their immunities making an Order that nothing should be transacted in their House until the Earl of Arundel were restored upon which instantly ensued the Earls Postlimination and re-admittance Popular disgust began now to break in upon the Duke with such a running and sweeping-tide as drew along with it by way of Concomitancy the Peerage nor could his new Dependents and Allies keep the Ballance Horizontial and even much less sway it and because his fate must result from them but not by weight but tale the old Trick of the Council of Trent was thought upon and a new Summons of Persons former Considents to the Duke as the Lords Mandevil Grandison and Carlton into the row of Nobles But this project would not take for the House of Lords found an ancient Order That no Lords created sedente Parliamento shall have Voices during that Session but only shall have priviledg of sitting among the rest upon which their suffrage was excluded This gave the Duke a taste a bitter one of their inclinations so that finding but small favour to trust to he magnanimously stood upon his Justification And having his defence to his contentment June the 8th 1626 he presented it to the Lords who upon receipt thereof sequestred him from sitting any more as a Peer of the House until his Cause was determined whereupon he went away much dejected The Dukes Defence and the Commons Impeachment being long I shall not here insert but refer you to the Annals it self from whom I do transcribe this small Narrative This weighty Cause was managed by six Gentlemen viz. Mr. Glanvil Mr. Selden Mr. Pim Mr. VVansford Mr. Sherland to whom was added Sir Dudley Diggs as Foreman and Prolocutor and Sir John Elliot to bring up the rear Sir Dudley Diggs his Prologue for the extraordinary Elegancy of the frame and conciseness of his Metaphors I shall crave leave to insert as it was delivered unto the Lords before the Gentlemen of the House of Commons did present the 13 Grievances expresly this My LORDS THere are so many things of great importance to be said in a very little time this day that
I conceive it will not be unacceptable unto your Lordships if setting aside all Rhetorical affectations I only in plain Countrey language humbly pray your Lordships favour to include many excuses necessary to my many infirmities In this one word I am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House to present unto your Lordships their most affectionate Thanks for your ready condescending to this Conference which out of confidence in your great Wisdoms and approved Justice for the service of his Majesty and the welfare of this Realm they desired upon this occasion The House of Commons by a fatal and universal concurrence of Complaints from all the Seabordering parts of this Kingdom did find a great and grievous interruption and stop of Trade and Traffick The base Pirates of Sally ignominiously infesting our Coasts taking our Ships and Goods and leading away the Subjects of this Kingdom into Barbarous Captivity while to our shame and hinderance of Commerce our Enemies did as it were Besiege our Ports and Block up our best Rivers Mouths our Friends on slight pretences made Embargoes of our Merchants Goods and every Nation upon the least occasion was ready to contemn and slight us So great was the apparent diminution of the ancient Honour of this Crown and once strong reputation of our Nation wherewith the Commons were more troubled calling to remembrance how formerly in France in Spain in Holland and everywhere by Sea and Land the Valours of this Kingdom had been better valued and even in latter times within remembrance when we had no Alliance with France none in Denmark none in Germany no Friend in Italy in Scotland to say no more united Ireland not setled in peace and much less security at home when Spain was as ambitious as it is now under a King Philip the Second they called their Wifest the House of Austria as great and Potent and both strengthned with a Malicious League in France of persons ill-affected when the Low-Countries had no being yet by constant Councels and Old English ways even then that Spanish pride was cool'd that greatness of the House of Austria so formidable to us now was well resisted and to the United Provinces of the Low-Countries such a beginning growth and strength was given as gave us Honour over all the Christian World. The Commons therefore wondring at the evils which they suffered debating of the causes of them found they were many drawn like one Line to one Circumference of Decay of Trade and Strength of Honour and Reputation in this Kingdom which as in one Centre met in one great man the cause of all whom I am here to name the Duke of Buckingham Here Sir Dudley Diggs made a stand as wondring to see the Duke present yet he took the Roll and read the Preamble to the Charge with the Duke's Titles which I shall here for the Readers Satisfaction insert and so proceed For the speedy Redress of the great evils and mischiefs The Preamble to the Impeachment against the Duke of Buckingham and of the chief causes of those evils and mischiefs which this Kingdom of England now grievously suffereth and of late years hath suffered and to the honour and safety of our Soveraign Lord the King and of his Crown and Diguities and to the good and welfare of his People The Commons in this present Parliament by the Authority of our Soveraign Lord the King assembled do by this their Bill shew and declare against George Duke Marquess and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers Baron of Whaddon Great Admiral of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and of the Principality of Wales and of the Dominions and Islands of the same of the Town of Calais and of the Marches of the same and of Normandy Gascoin and Guyen General Governor of the Seas and Ships of the said Kingdoms Lieutenant-General Admiral Captain-General and Governor of his Majesties Royal Fleet and Armado lately set forth Master of the Horse of our Soveraign Lord the King Lord Warden Chancellor and Admiral of the Cinque-Ports and of the Members thereof Constable of Dover-Castle Justice in Eyre of all Forests and Chases on this side of the River of Trent Constable of the Castle of Windsor Lieutenant of Middlesex and Buckinghamshire Steward and Bayliff of Westminster Gentleman of his Majesties Bed-Chamber and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council in his Realms both of England Scotland and Ireland and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter The Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences Crimes and other matters comprized in the Articles following And him the said Duke do Accuse and Impeach of the said Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences and Crimes And now my Lords This lofty Title of this mighty man methinks doth raise my Spirits to speak with a Paulo majora canamus and let it not displease your Lordships if for Foundation I compare the beautiful Structure and fair Composition of this Monarchy wherein we live to the great work of God viz. the World it self in which the solid Body of incorporated Earth and Sea as I conceive in regard of our Husbandry Manufactures and Commerce by Land and Sea may well resemble us the Commons and as it is encompassed with Air and Fire and Spheres Celestial of Planets and a Firmament of fixed Stars all which receive their heat light and life from one great glorious Sun even like the King our Soveraign so that Firmament of fixed Stars I take to be your Lordships those Planets the great Officers of the Kingdom that pure Element of Fire the most Religious Zealous and Pious Clergy and the Reverend Judges Magistrates and Ministers of Law and Justice the Air wherein we breathe all which encompast round with cherishing comfort this Body of the Commons who truly labour for them all and though they be the Footstool and the lowest yet may well be said to be the setled Centre of the State. Now my Lords if that glorious Sun by his powerful Beams of Grace and Favour shall draw from the bowels of this Earth an Exhalation that shall fire and burn and shine out like a Star it needs not be marvell'd at if the poor Commons gaze and wonder at the Comet when they feel the effects and impute all to the corruptible matter thereof But if such an imperfect Meteor appear like that in the last Age in the Chair of Casiopea among the fixed Stars themselves where Aristotle and the old Philosophers conceived there was no place for such corruption The Meteor in 1680. is worth your observation upon this very account then as the learned Mathematicians were troubled to observe the irregular motions the prodigious magnitude and the ominous Prognosticks of that Meteor so the Commons when they see such a Blazing-Star in course so exorbitant in the affairs of this Common-wealth cannot but look up upon it and for want of Perspectives commend the nearer examination to your Lordships who may behold it
at a better distance Such a prodigious Comet the Commons take this Duke of Buckingham to be And so the Commons do the Duke of York now cum multis aliis c. Anno Domini 1680 and 1681. and will doubtless several more when they shall meet 〈◊〉 to redress the present Grievances of the Nation against whom and his irregular ways there are by learned Gentlemen legal Articles of Charge to be delivered to your Lordships which I am generally first commanded to lay open First The Offices of this Kingdom that are the Eyes the Ears and the Hands of this Common-wealth these have been engrossed bought and sold and many of the greatest of them holden even in the Dukes own hands which severally and apart gave in former times and ages sufficient content to the greatest Favourites and were work enough for the wisest Councellors By means whereof what strange abuses what infinite neglects have followed The Seas have been unguarded Trade disturbed Merchants oppressed their Ships and even one of the Navy Royal by cunning practise delivered over into foreign hands and contrary to our good Kings intention employed to the prejudice I had almost said to the ruin of Friends of our own Religion Next Honours those most precious Jewels of the Crown a Treasure inestimable wherewith your Noble Ancestors my Lords were well rewarded for eminent and publick service in the Common-wealth at home for brave exploits abroad when covered all with dust and blood they sweat in service for the honour of this Crown What back-ways what by-ways have been by this Duke found out is too well known to your Lordships whereas it was anciently the honour of England as among the Romans the way to the Temple of Honour was through the Temple of Virtue But I am commanded to press this no further than to let your Lordships know one Instance may perhaps be given of some one Lord compelled to purchase Honour Thirdly As divers of the Dukes poor Kindred have been raised to great honours which have been and are likely to be more chargeable and burdensom to the Crown so the Lands and Revenues and Treasuries of his Majesty have been intercepted and exhausted by this Duke and his Friends and strangely misemployed with strange confusion of the Accompts and overthrow of the well-established ancient Orders of his Majesties Exchequer The last of the Charges which are prepared will be an injury offered to the Person of the late King of blessed memory who is with God of which as your Lordships may have heard heretofore you shall anon have farther information Now upon this occasion I am commanded by the Commons to take care of the honour of the King our Soveraign that lives long may he live to our comfort and the good of the Christian world and also of his blessed Father who is dead on whom to the grief of the Commons and their great distaste the Lord Duke did they conceive unworthily cast some ill ordure of his own foul ways Whereas Servants were anciently wont to bear as in truth they ought their Masters faults and not cast their own on them undeservedly It is well known the King who is with God had the same power and the same wisdom before he knew this Duke yea and the same affections too through which as a good and gracious Master he advanced and raised some Stars of your Lordships Firmament in whose hands this exorbitancy of Will this transcendency of Power such placing and misplacing of Officers such irregular running into all by courses of the Planets such sole and single managing of the great affairs of State was never heard of And therefore only to the Lord Duke and his own procurement by mis-informations these faults complained of by the Commons are to be imputed And whereas for our most gracious Soveraign that lives whose Name hath been used and may perhaps now be for the Dukes Justification The Commons know well that among his Majesties most Royal Virtues his Piety unto his Father hath made him a pious nourisher of his Affections ever to this Lord Duke on whom out of that consideration his Majesty hath wrought a kind of wonder making Favour hereditary But the abuse thereof must be the Lord Dukes own and if there have been any commands such as were or may pretend his misinformations have procured them whereas the Laws of England teach us that Kings cannot command ill or unawful things whenever they speak though by their Letters Patents or their Seals If the thing be evil these Letters Patents are void and whatsoever ill event succeeds the Executioners of such Commands must ever answer for them Thus my Lords in performance of my duty my weakness hath been troublesome unto your Lordships It is now high time humbly to intreat your pardon and to give way to a Learned Gentleman to begin against him a more particular Charge Sir Dudley Diggs his Prologue being ended the Impeachment of the Commons it self was next read the which if you please you may peruse Page 40. in the said Narrative before mentioned with the Dukes Answer Defence and Reply to every particular Article thereof The Answer of the Duke to his Impâ—achment was a kind of a new Grievance to his Adversaries for it being 〈◊〉 and so inlaid with modesty and humility it was like to have a 〈…〉 influence towards the conversion of many who expected a 〈◊〉 of another and more disdainful spirit Again it seemed to 〈…〉 and the Commons having charged him as they thought through and through loth they were to fall short of Victory And now having pursued him with such vehemency thought themselves 〈◊〉 should he now at the last make a saving game of it wherefore resolved they were to ply him with a speedy Reply But while they were hammering of it the King sent them a Letter demanding without farther delay their speedy producing their Bill of Subsidy to be passed to which to prevent their Dissolution they immediately conformed But first they had drawn up a Declaration of the same make and mind with their former Impeachment of the miserable estate of this Kingdom and not without some high Contest it was allowed by the House before the Bill of Subsidy Whereupon his Majesty was so exceedingly incensed King Charles his Second Parliament Dissolved as on the very next day June the 5th he Dissolved the Assembly though the Lords sent four of their House unto him beseeching him most earnestly that he would permit them to sit but two days longer but he answered Not a Minute The same afternoon the Earl of Bristol Arundel and Bristol confined the Dukes grand Prosecutor was committed to the Tower and the Earl of Arundel confined to his own house There came also forth from his Majesty a Proclamation for Burning all the Copies of the Commons Declaration made before the Parliaments Dissolution This Rupture of the Parliament The King charged with Imprudence being supposed to issue
crave our Kings aid in their distress hurrieth and ferrieth over their Deputies to England to solicit our King for fresh supplies before the prodigious work should be compleated who good Prince affected with their Miseries and desirous rather to protect them from being slaves than to enable them to be Masters condescended to assure them of what assistance he could make But alas what could his assistance signifie who was as necessitous as themselves Did they want Men Ammunition Ships So did he seeing he wanted that which was all these Money and how and where should that be had His last borrowing Commissions was a course so displeasing to the Subject as would not admit of repetition and it would prove an odd payment of that Loan arrears to demand another But the King was now the Subject of a greater Potentate than himself Necessity and this Necessity put him upon several projects First he borroweth of the Common-Council of London One hundred and twenty thousand pounds for which and other debts he assures unto them Twenty-one thousand pounds per annum of his own Lands and of the East-India Company Thirty thousand pounds and yet he wants Next Privy-Seals are sent out by Hundreds and a new way of Levy by Excise resolved to be executed by Commission Dated the 3d of February and yet he wants but the best and most taking project of all was a Parliament whereby he hoped not only to supply his necessities but also to give some better repose to his troubled spirit for he felt no inward contentment whilst he the Head and the Body were at a distance or like intersects and flies tackt together by a Mathematical line or imaginary thread therefore he seriously resolved for his part to frame and dispose himself to such obliging complacency and compliance as might re-consolidate and make them knit again This Parliament was Summoned to meet on the 17th of March 1627 King Charles his Third Parliament assembled March 17. 1627. and the Writs being issued out the Loan-Recusants appeared the only men in the Peoples affections none thought worthy of a Patriots title but he that was under restraint upon that account so that the far greater number of the Parliament was formed of them And as their Sufferings had made them of Eminent remark for Noble Courage so did they for External respects appear the gallantest Assembly that ever those Walls immured they having Estates modestly estimated able to buy the House of Peers the King excepted One hundred and eighteen thrice over Thus were all things strangely turned in a trice topside t'other way they who lately were confin'd as Prisoners are now not only free but petty Lords and Masters yea and petty Kings Some few days before this Session a notable discovery was made of a Colledge of Jesuits at Clerkenwell The first Information was given by one Cross a Messenger to Secretary Coke who sent a Warrant to Justice Long dwelling near enjoyning to take some Constables and other aid with him and forthwith to beset the house and apprehend the Jesuits entring at first door they found at stairs-foot a Man and a Woman standing who told them My Masters take heed you go not up the stairs for there are above many resolute and valiant Men who are well provided with Swords and Pistols and will lose their lives rather than yield therefore if you love your lives be gone The Constable took their counsel and like cowardly Buzzards went their way and told Secretary Coke the danger whereupon the Secretary sent the Sheriff to attack them who coming with a formidable Power found all withdrawn and sneakt away but after a long search their place of security was found out it being a Lobby behind a new Brick-wall Wainscoated over which being demolisht they were presently unkennel'd to the number of Ten. They found also divers Letters from the Pope to them empowring them to erect this Colledge under the name of Domus Probationis but it proved Reprobationis Sancti Ignatii and their Books of Accounts whereby it appeared they had Five hundred pounds per annum contribution from their Penefactors and had likewise purchased Four hundred and fifty pounds per annum they had a Chappel Library and other Rooms of necessary accommodation with Houshold-utensils and implements marked †S. What became of these Jesuits will fall in afterward and what would have become of the Secretary for his double diligence in their prosecution you should have heard had not the Duke been cut off by an untimely end to himself but timely to the Popular Gust The Parliament being met the King began thus to them My Lords and Gentlemen THese times are for Action The Kings Speech for Action I say not for Words and therefore I shall use but few and as Kings are said to be Exemplary to their Subjects I wish you would imitate me in this and use as few falling upon speedy consultation No man is I conceive such a stranger to the Common Necessity as to expostulate the cause of this Meeting and not to think Supply to be the end of it And as this Necessity is the product and consequent of your advice so the true Religion the Laws and Liberties of this State and just defence of our Friends and Allies being so considerably concern'd will be I hope arguments enough to perswade supply For if it be as most true it is both my Duty and yours to preserve this Church and Common wealth this exigent time certainly requires it In this time of Common danger I have taken the most ancient speedy and best way for supply by calling you together if which God forbid in not contributing what may answer the Quality of my occasions you do not your Duties it shall suffice I have done mine in the conscience whereof I shall rest content and take some other course for which God hath impower'd me to save that which the folly of particular men might hazard to lose Take not this as a Menace for I scorn to threaten my Inferiors but as an Admonition from him who is tyed both by Nature and Duty to provide for your preservations And I hope though I thus speak your Demeanors will be such as shall oblige me in thankfulness to meet you oftener than which nothing shall be more pleasing unto me Remembring the distractions of our last Meeting you may suppose I have no confidence of good success at this time but be assured I shall freely forget and forgive what is past hoping you will follow that sacred advice lately inculcated To maintain the Vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace The Parliament seemed at first exceeding prompt to close with the Kings desires and as complyingly disposed as could be wished but they had not forgot the many pressures which made the subject groan something they must do for them who sent as well as for him who called them thither and to anticipate all manner of dispute in point of Precedence between
the Subjects grievances and the Kings supplies they make an order that both should proceed pari passu cheek by joul Upon full consideration of the Kings wants The Parliament grant liberally they presently and cheerfully agreed to give him five Subsidies whereof Secretary Coke was the first Evangelist and Porter of that good news to the King who received it with wondrous joy and asked the Secretary by how many Voices it was carried Sir John replyed but by one At which perceiving the Kings countenance to change Sir said he your Majesty hath the greater cause to rejoyce for the House was so unanimous therein as that they made but one voice whereupon the King wept and bad the Secretary tell them He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessors had granted The stream of affairs running thus smoothly The Subjects Libetty under debate without the least wrinkle of discontent on either side the House of Commons first insisted upon the Personal Freedom of the People and resolved for Law That no Freeman ought to be imprisoned either by the King or Council without a legal Cause alledged This opinion of the House was reported to the Lords at a Conference by Sir Edward Coke Sir Dudley Diggs Mr. Selden and Mr. Littleton Sir Dudley Diggs citing Acts 25. vers 27. It seemeth an unreasonable thing to send a Prisoner and not withal to signifie the Crimes laid against him This business stuck very much in the Lords House The Lords nice in the business who were willing that the Nails should be pared not the hands tyed of the Prerogative several and great Debates there were about it The Attorney pleading eagerly though impertinently for the King and the ancient Records were so direct for the People and so strongly enforced as the Attorney had no more to say but only I refer my self to the Judgment of the Lords and when these Lords were to give Judgment concerning it the Ducal or Royal party for they were both one were so prevalent as they who leaned the other way durst not abide the Tryal by Vote but calling the Lord-Keeper down moulded the House into a Committee until the Lord Say made a motion That they who stood for the Liberties being effective about fifty might make their Protestation and that to be upon Record And that the other opposite party should also with Subscriptions of their Names enter their Reasons to remain also upon Record that so Posterity might not be to seek who they were who so ignobly betrayed the Freedom of our Nation and that this done they should proceed to a Vote At which the Court-party were so daunted as that they durst not mutter one syllable against it Personal Liberty being thus setled next they fall upon Liberty of Goods the unbilleting of Soldiers and nulling of Martial Law in times of Peace and finding Magna Charta and six other Statutes explanatory of it to be expresly on their side they Petitioned the King to grant them the benefit of them whereupon he declared Himself by the Lord-Keeper unto them in his Verbis That He did hold the Statutes of Magna Charta and the six other insisted upon for the Subjects Liberty to be all in force and assured them that he would maintain all his Subjects in the just freedom of their Persons and safety of Estates and that he would govern according to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm and that his People should find as much security in his Royal Word and Promise as in any Laws they could make so that hereafter they should have no cause to complain and therefore he desired no doubt nor distrust might possess any man but that they would proceed speedily and unanimously on with their business This Message begat a new Question Whether or no his Majesty should be trusted upon his Royal Word Some thought it needless because of his Coronation-Oath binding him to maintain the Laws of the Land That Oath was as strong as any Royal Word could be Others were of opinion That should it be put to Vote and carried in the Negative it would be infinitely dishonourable unto him in Foreign parts who would be ready to say The People of England would not trust their King upon his Royal Promise At length in the height of this Dispute stands up Sir Edward Coke and thus informed the House We sit now in Parliament and therefore must take his Majesties Word no otherwise than in a Parliamentary-way that is The King sitting on his Throne in his Royal Robes his Crown on his Head his Scepter in his Hand in full Parliament both Houses being present all these Circumstances observed and his Assent being entred upon a Record make his Royal Word the Word of a King in Parliament and not a word delivered in a Chamber or at second hand by the mouth of a Secretary or Lord-Keeper therefore his Motion was That the House should More Majorum according to the custom of their Predecessors draw a Petition De Droict of Right to His Majesty which being confirmed by both Houses and assented unto by the King would be as firm an Act as any This Judgment of so great a Father in the Law The Petition of Right presented by this Parliament at this time ruled all the House and accordingly a Petition was framed and at a Conference presented unto the Lords the substance whereof after the recital of several Statutes relating to the Priviledge of the Subject was reduced to four Heads The Petition being presented to his Majesty after two several Answers thereunto which did not please the Parliament he did the third time give them this Answer the Petition being read thereunto Le droict soit faict comme il est desire This I am sure is full yet no more than I granted you in my first Answer you see now how ready I have shewed my self to satisfie your Demands so that I have done my part wherefore if this Parliament have not an happy conclusion the sin is yours I am free The King having ended the Houses testified their joy with a mighty shout and presently the Bells rung and Bonefires were kindled all the City over Nor was the true cause so distinctly known for many apprehended at first that the King had delivered the Duke up to them to be sent to the Tower on which misprision some said the Scaffold on Tower-hill was instantly pulled down the People said his Grace should have a new one It is said that the House of Lords made Suit to the King upon this happy accord That he would be pleased to receive into Grace those Lords who were in former disfavour which he readily yielded unto And admitted the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Bishop of Lincoln the Earls of Essex Warwick Bristol and the Lord Say to kiss his hand The Petition thus granted the Commissions of Loan and Excise were instantly out-lawed and at the entreaty of the House of Peers
Brittain should be this Person of Quality here intimated and described in this most wonder ful and Antient Prophecy a Prediction I must needs Confess most proper for such wonderful times as we now live in would you not all unanimously and with loud Acclamations throw up your Caps and Beavers into the Air and cry Vive le Roy or Currat Lex vivat Rex And if so for my own part I should yet hope to see if it shall please my Gracious God to lend me a little longer time of health and strength many Halcyon and most happy days in the Land and Nation of my Nativity before I go away hence and shall be seen no more And that an happy union and good correspondence between his present Majesty and his future Parliaments without the least suspition or jealousie one of another may yet come to pass in our days I do most humbly beseech thy Divine Majesty who art the Lord God Almighty to grant for thy great names-sake and for thy Vicegerents sake and for his Peoples sake who are truly Loyal and obedient Subjects in and through thy most dear and well beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased and whom by thy free grace goodness and most stupendious mercy and compassion to thy poor creatures is the Lord and giver of everlasting Life to all those who shall most faithfully and most sincerely though but imperfectly obey him And now to him with thy eternal Majesty who art King Immortal Invisible and only wise God by the assistance of thy holy and for ever blessed Spirit of Grace I do most humbly desire to render give and ascribe all honour glory laud and praise might Majesty reverential fear and all humble adoration from this time forth and for evermore Amen And now in the close of all Whereas in my Title-Page I have there intimated how Magna Charta was most solemnly and most wonderfully even to the astonishment of the Spectators ratified pronounced and proclaimed and therefore must not now leave you in the dark as to that particular but refer you to the Packet of Advice from Rome Number 50. the which in my slender apprehension deserves to be written in Letters of Gold upon the Walls of both Houses of Parliament And for your present and I hope pleasant satisfaction I have here inserted and presented you with the same at large HAving presented the Reader with the most remarkable Transactions of Papal Tyranny in Foreign Parts down to the year 1254 't is time to look homewards and observe Ecclesiastic Occurrences in England our last Discourse of that kind terminating with the death of King John to whom succeeded his Son Henry the third of that name for though by reason of the Fewds between John and his Barons they had invited over Lewis the French King's Son and many had to him sworn Allegiance yet the Father being dead and his faults buried with him they did not think fit to yield up themselves to the French Man's Yoak who already began to exercise an insufferable Tyranny wherever he had Power And although the Pope had at first encourag'd the Barons in their Rebellion yet when once he had hector'd King John into a Resignation of his Crown he became his Patron and forbad Lewis from intermedling with the Kingdom as being then forsooth part of S. Peter's Patrimony and therefore excommunicated Lewis for the Invasion which engag'd most of the Clergy to oppose him And so Henry on the 28th of October 1216. was Crown'd being then in the 10th year of his Age and Lewis being routed at Lincoln was glad to come to a Treaty quit his Pretensions and most dishonourably retreat into France Yet 't is observable that the Clergy were then such fast Friends to their Head the Pope and so little regardful of the Descent in the Right Line that they would not accept Henry for their King without making him first do Homage to the Holy Church of Rome and Pope Innocent for his Kingdoms of England and Ireland and swearing to pay the 1000 Marks per Annum which his Father had promised to that See. Matth. Paris fol. 278. And besides to bring Grists to the Roman Mill the Pope's Legate at that time in England immediately on the Departure of Prince Lewis sent his Inquisitors all over the Realm and whomsoever they would discover to have sided with him Consensu etiam Levissimo Though in the least degree must atone the Crime with a large Sum insomuch as the Bishop of Lincoln before he could be restored to his Bishoprick was forc'd to pay 1000 Marks to the Pope's use and 1000 to the Legate for the little Rogue would have snips in the prey with the great One and many other Bishops and Religious Men were glad to empty their Pockets to him at the same rate Matth. Paris fol. 218. In the year 1220. the Pope was pleased to make Hugh formerly Bishop of Lincoln a Saint and since the manner of his Vn-Holiness's declaring the same may be Divertive to the common English Reader I shall give you the very words of his Letter Translated as I find it in Matth. Paris fol. 298. Honorius Servant of the Servants of God to all our well-beloved Sons the Faithful of Christ that shall inspect these Presents Greeting and Apostolick Benediction The worthiness of Divine Piety does make famous his Holy Ones and Elect placed in the Bliss of the Celestial Kingdom by the shining forth of their Miracles still upon Earth that the Devotion of the Faithful being thereby stirred up may with due Veneration implore their Aid and Suffrages since therefore we are fully satisfied that the Bounty of Heaven hath illustrated Hugh Bishop of Lincoln as well in his Life as after his Death with a multitude of Famous Miracles We have thought fit to Enroll him in the Catalogue of Saints and admonish and exhort you all in the Lord That you devoutly implore his Patronage and Intercession for you with Almighty God farther Commanding That the day of his Decease be henceforwards every year devoutly Celebrated as a Holyday Dated at Viterbium the 13th Calend of March in the fourth year of our Popedom But how much a Saint soever he was we meet with another Bishop as very a Devil for about this time a Quarrel happening between Richard Bishop of Durham and the Monks of the same Church they complain'd of him to the Pope who seem'd much concern'd at his many horrid Crimes and presently sent over a Letter in these Terms Honorius Bishop c. to the Bishops of Salisbury Ely c. Greeting and Aposlolick Benediction It is fit for us to be so delighted in the sweet Savour of a good opinion of our Brethren and Fellow-Labourers as not to connive at Vices in those that are Pestilent since it becomes not us for the Reverence of the Order to bear with Sinners whose Guilt renders them as worthy of as many Deaths as they transinit Examples of