numbers of Parliament Precedents concerning the Liberties of the Subject to be burnt next raising Two Hundred Thousand Pounds for making Two Hundred Baronets telling the King He should find his English Subjects like Asses on whom he might lay any Burthen but this Statesman died soon after very Miserable coming from Bath and was Buried on the top of a Mole-Hill near Marleborougâ— The principal Managers of the English Affairs were Salisbury Suffolk Northampton Buckhurst Egerton Lord-Keeper Worcester and the Old Admiral For the Scots Sir George Hewme now Earl of Dunbar Secretary Elfeston and the Lord of Kinloss Salisbury had now shaken off all those that were great with him in Queen Elizabeth's days as Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir G. Carew the Lord Grey and the Lord Cobham Now begins Ambassadors to appear from divers Princes the chief was Roney Duke of Sullia from the French King the Constable of Castile from the Spanish King the Count Arremburgh from the Arch-Duke To bring these Ambassadors over were appointed Sir Robert Mansel being Admiral and Sir J. Turner his Vice-Admiral to bring over the French and Spanish Ambassadors in which happened some Dispute The Constable of Castile so plyed his Masters business in which he spared for no cost that he procured a Peace so advantageous for Spain and so disadvantageous for England that It and all Christendome have since both seen and felt the lamentable effects thereof There was not one Courtier of note that tasted not of Spain's Bounty either in Gold or Jewels and among them not any in so large a proportion as the Countess of Suffolk who shared in her Lords Interest that in truth Audley-end that Famouâ— Structure had its Foundation of Spanish-Gold GOD for some secret Intent besâ— known to himself laid the Foundation of this King's Reign with thâ— greatest Plague or Mortality ever before heard of in this Kingdom and some by that judged what his futurâ— Reign would be He was forced bâ— that Contagion to leave the Metropolis and go into a by-corner in Wilt-shire in which time of his Abode there â— kind of Treason broke forth but whaâ— it was as no Man then could tell so it is left with so dark a Comment that Posterity will never understand the Text or remember any such Treason This pretended Plot consisted of Protestants Puritans Papists and Atheists a strange medly you will say to meet in one and the same Treason and keep Counsel which surely they did because they knew not of any The Protestants were the Lord Cobham and George Brook his Brother the one very Learned and Wise the other a most silly Lord The Puritan the Lord Grey of Walton a very hopeful Gentleman The Papists Watson and Clark Priests and Parham a Gentleman The Atheist Sir W. Rawleigh then generally so believed though after brought by Affliction the best School-Mistress to be and so Died a most Religious Gentleman This Sham-Plot was chiefly designed by Salisbury in which he has a double benefit first in riding himself of such as he feared would have been Thorns in his sides secondly by endearing himself to the King by shewing his diligence and vigilancy for his Safety They were all Araigned of Treason at Winchester whither the King sent some secretly to observe all Passages upon whose true and faithful Relations of the Innocency of the Persons Arraigned and slight proof upon which they were Condemned he would not be drawn to Sign any Warrant for the Execution of Rawleigh Cobham and Grey For Rawleigh's defence it was so brave and just as had he not wilfully Cast himself out of very weariness as unwilling to detain the Company any longer no Jury could ever have Cast him Yet Sir W. Rawleigh was Executed many years after for the same Treason as much against all Justice as beyond all Reason and Precedent Yea after he had been a General by the Kings Commission and had by that Power of the Lives of many others utterly against the Civil Law which saith He that hath Power of the Lives of others ought to be Master of his Own But the Spaniard was so Powerful at that time at Court as that Faction could command the Life of any Man that might prove dangerous to their Designs His Death was by him managed with so High Generous and Religious a Resolution as if a Roman had acted a Christian or rather a Christian a Roman During his Imprisonment he was Delivered of that Minerva The History of the World Now did the great Mannagers of the State of which Salisbury was Chief after they had Packed the Cards begin to deal the Government of the Kingdom among themselves yet for all their setting their Cards and playing their Games to their own advantages there was one Knave in the Pack would couzen their designs and Trump in their way if he might not share with them in their winning and that was one Lake a Clerk of the Signet afterwards made Secretary and after that turned out in disgrace This Lake was a fellow of mean Birth and meaner Breeding being an under Servant to make Fires in Secretary Walsingham's Chamber and there got some experience which afterwards in this King's Time made him appear an able Man which in Q. Eliz. Time when there was none in Court but Men of Eminency made him an inconsiderable Fellow This Lake had linked himself with the Scotch Nation helping them per fas aut nefas to fill their Purses c. For his good Service of abusing his Country and Countrymen he was made Clerk of the Signet to wait on the King in his Hunting Journies and in these Journies got all the Bills Signed even for the greatest Lords all Packets being addressed to him so that Salisbury and Northampton and the greatest Lords made Court to him By this means did he raise himself from a mean to a great Fortune but much over-awed by his Wife which after proved his overthrow besides he would tell Tales and let the King know the passages at Court and great Men as who was Salisbury's Mistress and who governed all who governed Northampton and discovered the Bawdery which did infinitely please the King's Humour and in truth had so much Craft as he served his turn upon all but was Ingrossed by none but by the Bed-Chamber who stuck so close to him that they could not yet remove him And now do the English Faction seeing they could not sever the Scots from him endeavour to raise a Mutiny against the Scots that were his Supporters their Agents divulging every where The Scots would get all and would Beggar the Kingdom The Scots on the other side complain to the King they were so poor they under-went the by-word of Beggarly-Scots To which the King returned this Answer Content your selves I will shortly make the English as Beggarly as you and so ended that Controversie This is as true as he truly performed it for however he enriched many in particular as Salisbury Suffolk Northampton Worcester Lake
It was the Opinion of those Times that the Elector might have sped better had he not Matched with England whose King was so timerous as he â—uffered all to Perish for want of seasonable supply that relied upon his Power for had his Consort been of weaker Alliance he had refused the Crown of Bohemia when it was offered or upon acceptance been more Cordially assisted by his fellow Princes already wearied by the Emperours Oppressions no less than terrified by an expectation of worse It was generally thought and that not without good reason That Prince Henry gave the first incouragement to the Prince Elector to attempt his Sister desiring more to Head an Army in Germany than he durst make shew of and would no doubt have been bravely followed That his thoughts flew high hundreds of his Servants could witness together with the Love he seemed to bear his Sister before his Brother Charles whom he would often Taunt till he made him Weep telling him He should be â— Bishop a Gown being fittest to hide hiâ— Legs subject in his Childhood to be Crooked Nor did all this put together lengthen his Life in the desires of many Besides Sir Walter Rawleigh did mediate his Favour by a Discourse he sent him proving no War could be so necessary or advantageous for England as one with Spain alledging many Reasons and Examples as well out of the Practice of Queen Elizabeth as his own Experience no Prince else then being able to pay for or bear the Expence of a Royal Navy which once in a Year he would without question accomplish by our intercepting some or most of the Plate-Fleet all Nations besides at that time being but Sea-Pedlars Wherefore if Philip the Second cut off his own hopeful and only Son Charles for but pittying the People of Flanders it can be no wonder He should promote the destruction of a Stranger that did so far applaud the advice of Rawleigh as to say No King but his Father would keep such a Bird in a Cage But to leave this to the Faith of Posterity the Actions of Kings being written in such dark Characters and relating to so many several ends as they are not easily deciphered I shall return to the German Affairs towards which had England contributed proportionably to the Head of a Union it may be presumed from the King of Sweeden's Success who had at the begining no such advantages to rely on that the Eclipsing if not the Ruine of the House of Austria had not been adjourned to so long a day And he that shall turn over the Adviso's of those Times may without danger or much trouble find what Opinion the Germans had of Us and in how great a dismay it cast their Proceedings when the smallness of the Lord Vere's Forces were known but when they read a Commission only enabling him to do nothing they apprehended themselves some out of Malice Betrayed others that knew the temper of King James better were so Charitable as to impute it to the true Cause which was his Fear upon whose Altar he was not only ready to Sacrifice his present Honour and future Safety but the Blood of those he stiles in all his Manifesto's His dearest Children For after his Daughter and the Elector were Crowned King and Queen of Bohemia they lost together with this Shadow all her Substance and what he was for so many Descents Born to the Palatinate at the Battle of Prague where few blows were dealt on the Electors side reported to be so Mad as to think the Souldier would venture his Life in a Cause where he to whom it most concerned was afraid to venture his Money It being then too late to spare when Honour and Fortune lay at the Stake By which this miserable Prince did not only lose what he might possibly have gained but most of the Wealth he desired to save The Earl of Portland Lord Treasurer was sent by King James when they looked for an Army to Mediate a Peace By whose help though a Roman Catholick the Elector and his Lady found means though with much difficulty to Escape to the Hague with their new assumed empty Titles having nothing else to support them but Patience and Hope the only and ordinary Comfort of those deprived of all help besides yet it was gerally reported by the Roman Catholicks That Portland was too far engaged to their Party to be the Author of so ungrateful a Service But this being his first Employment no less than a desire in the Pope to see the Power of the Emperour moderated who began to Incroach upon the pretended Immunities of the Church he might probably take this advantage to render his Embassy the more acceptable upon his return to the People of England if not to the King Persons of their Quality falling seldom by the Sword and therefore thought perhaps better Thrift to maintain them at Liberty than in Restraint or Redeem them at such a Ransom as a Victorious Prince might Impose to the Payment of which his Majesty was engaged in Honour and Nature However I am more charitable than to conclude all Papists imployed by this King so dishonest as to falsiâ—ie their Trust for if that followed as a necessary consequence God help this poor Nation that had before then and long after few Commissioned in any affair of Importance but such as were that way affected or wholly indifferent It being the intent of Providence to use his help it may be as he did of Pharoah's Daughter to preserve this Vertuous Lady out of danger whose Misfortunes kindled such a Fire in Germany as before it was extinguished lick'd up the choicest Blood in the Austrian Family some one or other prosecuting the like Attempt amongst whom was Count Mansfield that had little else than his own Fortune and Valour to carry him so far as he went but what he punctually did or promised to do was at too great a distance to be certainly known more than could be Learned from the Eccho it made at Court which sounded diversly according to the Inclinations and hollowness of their Hearts that made the Reverberation This is certain That Mansfield was in appearance well received at Court but how King James could like a Man that laboured to bring in so Anti-Monarchial a Precedent as to struggle for Liberty with his Native Prince I cannot but question who himself daily inculcate into the People through the Mediation of his Divines and by the Terror of his Laws That no other Refuge was left in any saving Experiment during the unjustest and most cruel Tyranny but Prayers and Tears a Tenet if he had believed himself or thought such as owned either Prudence or Power did he would doubtless have Governed much better or if possible abused the Nation and debauched his Succession much worse Yet to give a countenance to a Business he had so shamefully disparaged before he sent for the Count over in one of his Royal Ships which was cast away
replied No not yet for he did believe there was something known to Weston instantly he hasted away being a little before Dinner and went into his Study and sent for Weston to come unto him examining him the meaning of that question at last between sair means and threatning perswaded him to confess the Truth then Elwayes as he well could â—aid before Weston the horridness of the Fact the torments of Hell and the uncertainty of his momentary enjoying of either Reward or Favour after the Fact done but that it must necessarily follow so many Personages of Honour would never Cabinet such a Secret in their Breast that might ruin them at last made him so sensible of his Danger in this life and more sensible of Torments in the other that Weston falling on his knees said O Lord how good and gracious art Thou and thy Mercy is above all thy Works for this day is Salvation come to my Soul and I would not for all the World have had such a Sin upon me He gave the Lieutenant humble thanks for that he had been Instrumental in saving his Soul by putting him off from so foul Intentions The Lieutenant having thus renewed Grace in him by making him as he thought a new Man said thus to him You and I have a dangerous part to Act but if you will be true and honest to me I doubt not with Gods help but we shall perform it well both before God and the World Weston faithfully promised him and for a long time as faithfully performed with him The Lieutenant willed him to bring all such things as was sent to give Overbury unto him which he accordingly did the Lieutenant ever gave them to Dogs and Cats which he had always ready in his Study for that purpose some died presently others lay lingering a longer time all which with the Jellies and Tarts sent to Overbury he cast into his Privy they staining the very Dishes This continued long the Earl ever sending to visit Overbury assuring him he did not forget his Release which would not be long deferred wherein most Men did verily believe he did mean both Nobly and Truly though others conjectured his meaning was a Dissolution At last the Countess sent for Weston Reviling him and calling him Treacherous Villain for had he given those things sent Overbury had not been now alive vowing she would be revenged on him upon the very fear whereof he after gave those Poysons sent him without acquainting the Lieutenant yet for all this schooling of Weston and his assurance given of his future Fidelity to the Countess she would not trust him any more but put another Co-adjutor to him one Franklin a greater Villain than Weston and truly they may be deemed very ill that could seek out such Instruments These two Villains came into Overbury's Chamber and found him in infinite Torment with contention between Strength of Nature and the working of the Poyson and it being very like Nature had got the better of it in that contention by the thrusting out of Boyls Botches and Blains they fearing it might come to light upon the judgment of Physicians that foul Play had been offered him consented to stifle him with the Bed-cloaths which accordingly was performed and so ended his miserable Life with the assurance of the Conspirators that he Died by Poyson none thinking otherwise but these two Murtherers Now was all as they believed quiet and in the depth of security and the Earl and Countess began to â—arry their Loves more openly and â—mpudently so that the World did â—alk very loudly and broadly of this Adulterous Meeting it must from â—hat ground proceed to an Adulterous Marriage as well to the wronging of a Young Noble-man as to the dishonour and shame of themselves But â—hey must needs go whom the Devil drives yet know not how handsomly â—o effect this but by making the King â— Party in this Bawdy business which â—as no hard matter to effect for the King's Eye began to wander after a â—ew Favorite being satiated with the old therefore for the bringing this Bawdery to a Marriage the Bishops must be principal Actors and the Bishop of Winchester an excellent Civilian and a very great Schollar must â—e the Principal for which his Son was Knighted and did never lose that Title of Sir Nullity Bilson For by a Nullity of the first Marriage must this second take place many Meetings of the Bishops and the prime Civilians in which there wanted no Bribes from the Lord and Lady and their Friends to have this Nullity brought to pass wherein the Discourse would have better befitteâ— the Mouths of Bawds and Ruffians than the Grave Divines among them Bishop Neal Bishop of Rochester â— Creature and Favorite of the Housâ— of Suffolk took up a Learned Discoursâ— in the Science of Bawdry how many degrees in that Science must producâ— a Nullity wherein were so many Beastly Expressions as for Modesty sake I will not recite them being oâ— fensive to my very Thoughts and Memory Aristotle's Problems was a Modest Discourse to his and he appeareâ— to be better Studied in that than iâ— Divinity and to wind up this Learned Discourse concluded That aâ— those met in this Lord and Lady The Arch Bishop of Canterbury Abbot to his everlasting Fame mainly opposed all the Proceedings and protested against them for which he ever after lived in Disgrace excluded from the Council-Table and Died in disrespect of the King on Earth tho' in favour of the King of Kings Yet forsooth to make up the full measure of Bawdery and to justifie Neal's Discourse That all things in the former Marriage conduced to be a Nullity a search must be made to find whether there had been a Penetration and a Jury of Grave Matrons were found fit for that purpose who with their Spectacles ground to lessen not to make the Letter larger after their Inspection gave Verdict She was intacta Virgo which was thought very strange for the World took notice that her way was very near beaten so plain as if Regia Via and in truth was a common way before Somerset did ever Travel that way besides the World took notice they Two had long lived together in Adultery yet had Old Kettle a trick for that also The Lady of Essex for Modesty sake makes humble Suit to the Bawdy Bishops who were also Plotters in this Stratagem that she might not appear Bare-fac'd for Blushing but desired to come Vailed with a Taffety over her Face this by all means was thought so reasonable for a pretty Modest Lady that the Bawdy Bishops and Pur-blind Ladies which had forgotten Modesty themselves could not think it worthy the denial One Mrs. Fines near Kinswoman to Old Kettle was dressed up in the Countesses Cloaths and that time too Young to be other than Virgo intacta though in Two Years after had the Old Ladies made their Inspection the Orifice would not have appeared so small to have
the middle of the Quire according to the Primitive Example And a Book supposed to be Written by Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln was Published to this purpose Several Gentlemen of Quality had refused to Pay the Ship-Money and among the rest Mr. Hamden of Buckingham-shire upon which the King refers the whole Business to the Twelve Judges in Michaelmas-Term 1636. Ten of whom that is Brampton Finch Davenport Denham Jones Trever Vernon Berkly Crowly Weston gave their Judgments against Hamden but Hutton and Crook refused it His Majesty desiring an Uniformity in England and Scotland in pursuance thereof enjoyned the Scots the use of the English Liturgy the Surplice and other Habiliments and began first in his own Chapple And in this Year 1637. Proclamation was made That the same should be used throughout all Churches wherewith the Bishops were contented but not the Kirk nor the People who were so inraged thereat that in Edinborough and divers other Parts of that Kingdom where the Liturgy was begun to be read committed very great Outrages and Violences against the Persons that read it and could not be appeased by the Power of the Magistrate And some time after the Scots entred into a solemn League and Covenant to preserve the Religion there Profest This Covenant the Scots were resolved to maintain and to that purpose they sent for General Lesly and other great Officers from beyond Sea providing themselves likewise with Arms and Ammunition After this they Elect Commissioners for the general Assembly whom they cite to move the Arch-Bishops and Bishops to appear there as Guilty Persons which being refused the People present a Bill of Complaint against them to the Presbitery at Edinbrough who accordingly warned them to appear at the next General Assembly At their Meeting the Bishops sent in a Protestation against their Assembly which the Covenanters would not vouchsafe to read And soon after they abolished Episcopacy and then prepared for a War On which the King of England prepares an Army for Scotland with which in the Year 1639. He Marched in Person into the North but by the Mediation of some Persons a Treaty of Peace was begun and soon finished but a while after broke by the Scots The King therefore resolved since fair means would not prevail to force the Scots to Reason And to that end considers how to make Provisions for Men and Money and calling a Secret Cabinet Council consisting only of Arch-Bishop Laud the Earl of Strafford and Duke Hamilton it was concluded That for the King's Supply a Parliament must be called in England and another in Ireland but because the Debates of Parliament would take up some time it was resolved That the Lords should Subscribe to Lend the King Money The Earl of Strafford Subscribed 20000 l. the Duke of Richmond as much The rest of the Lords Judges and Gentry contributed according to their Ability The Scots on the other side foreseeing the Storm prepared for their own Defence making Treaties in Sweeden Denmark Holland and Poland And the Jesuits who are never Idle endeavour to Foment the Differences to which end Con the Pope's Nuncio Sir Tob. Matthews Read and Maxwel Two Scots endeavoured to perswade the Discontented People That the King designed to Enslave them to his Will and Pleasure In the Year 1640. and the Sixteenth of the King's Reign a Parliament was called at Westminster April 13. In which the King presses them for a speedy Supply to Suppress the Violences of the Scots But whil'st the Parliament were Debating whether the Grievances of the People or the King's Supply should be first considered and Matters were in some hopeful Posture Secretary Vane either accidentally or on purpose overthrew all at once by declaring That the King required Twelve Subsidies whereas at that time he only desired Six which so enraged the House and made things so ill that by the advice of the Juncto the Parliament was Dissolved having only Sate Twenty Two Days Arch-Bishop Laud by his earnest Proceedings against the Puritans and by his strict enjoyning of Ceremonies especially reviving Old Ceremonies which had not been lately observed procured to himself much Hatred from the People That upon May 9. 1640. a Paper was fixed on the Gate of the Royal-Exchange inciting the Prentices to go and Sack his House at Lambeth the Monday after but the Arch-Bishop had notice of their Design and provided accordingly that at the time when they came endeavouring to enter his House they were Repulsed The King grew daily more offended against the Scots and calls a Select Juncto to consult about them where the Earl of Strafford delivered his Mind in such terms as were afterwards made use of to his Destruction War against them was resolved on and Money was to be procured one way or other The City was Invited to Lend but refused The Gentry contributed indifferent freely So that with their Assistance the Army was compleated The King himself being Generalissimo the Earl of Northumberland and the Earl of Strafford Lieutenant-Generals And Marching the Army into the North between New-Castle and Berwick there was some Action between the Two Armies in which the Scots had the Better A Treaty is then set on Foot and to that end the King receives a Petition from the Scots complaining of their Grievances To which He Answers by his Secretary of Scotland That he expects their particular Demands which he receives in Three days all tending to Call a Parliament in England without which there could be no Redress for them They had likewise before their March into England Published a Declaration called The Intentions of the Army viz. Not to lay down Arms till the Reformed Religion were settled in both Nations upon sure grounds and the Causers and Abettors of their present Troubles that is Arch-Bishop Laud and the Earl of Strafford were brought to Publick Justice in Parliament At the same time Twelve English Peers drew up a Petition which they delivered to the King for the Sitting of the Parliament To which the King condescends And now the time approaching for the Sitting of the Parliament who accordingly Met Novemb. 3. 1640. Mr. W. Lenthal was Chosen Speaker of the House of Commons And the King in a Speech tells them That the Scottish Troubles were the cause of their Meeting and therefore requires them to consider of the most expedient Means for casting them out and desired a Supply from them for the maintaining of his Army The Commons began with the Voting down all Monopolies and all such Members as had any Benefit by them were Vottd out of the House They then Voted down Ship-Money with the Opinion of the Judges thereupon to be Illegal and a Charge of High-Treason was ordered to be Drawn up against Eight of them and they resolved to begin with the Lord-Keeper Finch December 11th Alderman Pennington and some hundreds of Citizens presented a Petition Subscribed by Fifteen thousand Hands against Church-Discipline and Ceremonies and a while after
the House of Commons Voted That the Clergy in a Synod or Convocation have no Power to make Canons or Laws without Parliaments and that the Canons are against the Fundamental Laws of this Realm the King's Prerogative and the Property of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and tend to Faction and Sedition In pursuance hereof a Charge was ordered to be drawn up against Arch-Bishop Laud as the Principal Framer of those Canons and other Delinquencies which Impeachment was Seconded by another from the Scotch Commissioners Upon which he was Committed to the Black-Rod and Ten Weeks after Voted Guilty of High-Treason and sent to the Tower The Scots likewise preferred a Charge against the Earl of Strafford then in Custody requiring Justice against them both as the great Incendiaries and Disturbers both of Church and State The Lord-Keeper Finch was the next Person designed to be Censured and notwithstanding a Speech made in his own Vindication He was Voted a Traytor upon several Accounts But he fore-saw the Storm and went over into Holland Upon Monday March 26. 1640 the Earl of Strafford's Tryal began in Westminster-Hall the King Queen and Prince being present and the Commons being there likewise as a Committee at the managing their Accusation The Earl of Strafford though he had but short Warning yet made a Noble Defence The Accusation was managed by Mr. Pym consisting of Twenty eight Articles to most of which the Earl made particular Replies But the Commons were resolved to Prosecute him to Death and had therefore not only procured the Parliament of Ireland to Prosecute him there as Guilty of High-Treason but resolved to proceed against him by Bill of Attainder which they proceeded to dispatch And April 19. 1641. they Voted the Earl Guilty of High-Treason upon the Evidence of Secretary Vane and his Notes And upon the 25th they passed the Bill and sent it to the Lords for their Concurrence who a few Days after likewise agreed to it The Bill being finished and the K. fearing the Conclusion and being willing to do some good Office to the Earl His Majesty May 1. 1641 Calls both Honses together and in a Speech tells them That he had been present at the Hearing that great Cause and that in his Conscience possitively he could not Condemn him of High-Treason and yet could not clear him of Misdemeanours but hoped a way might be found out to Satisfie Justice and their Fears without oppressing his Conscience And so dismissed them to their great Discontent Which was propogated so far that May 3. were One thousand Citizens most of them Armed came thronging down to Westminster crying out for Justice against the Earl of Strafford The Commons had now finished a Bill for the Continuance of the Parliament which having passed the Lords was tendred to the King to be Signed together with the Bill for the Attainder of the E. of Strafford His Majesty Answered That on Monday following He would Satisfie them and on the Sunday the King spent the whole Day with the Judges and Bishops in Consulting The Judges told him That in Point of Law according to the Oath made by Sir Henry Vane he was Guilty of Treason The Bishops all agreed That the King might shew Mercy without Scruple and that he could not Condemn the Earl if he did not think him Guilty This was to matter of Fact but as to matter of Law He was to rest in the Opinion of the Judges Monday May 10. the King gives Commission to several Lords to Pass two Bills One The Bill of Attainder against the Earl of Strafford The Other Fâ—r continuing the Parliament during the pleasure of both Houses Which last Act was occasioned for Satisfying the Scots The next Day the King being troubled about the Earl writes a Letter to the House of Lords telling them That whereas Justice had been satisfied in his Condemnation an intermixture of Mercy would not now be unseasonable and therefore He desired them that if it might be done without any Discontent to the People the Earl might be permitted to fulfil the Natural Course of his Life in close Imprisonment Sequestred from all Publick Affairs provided he never attempted to make an Escape However He thought it a Work of Charity to Reprieve him till Saturday But nothing could be Obtained in Favour of him The Fall of this Powerful Man so startled other great Officers of State that several Resigned their Places July 5. A Charge was brought into the House of Commons against Dr. Wren Bishop of Ely being Accused of Treasonable Misdemeanours in his Diocess August 6. Both the English and Scotch Armies were Disbanded and Four Days after the King went towards Scotland and was Entertained with great Demonstrations of Affection by that Nation and Conferred several Places of Honour and Power upon divers of them He Confirmed likewise the Treaty between the Two Nations by Act of Parliament October 23 1641. A Horrid and Notorious Rebellion broke out in Ireland which was in divers Places managed with such Secresie that it was not Discovered at Dublin till the Night before it was to be put in Execution but in most other Places of the Kingdom it was carried on with such Fury That two hundred thousand English Men Women and Children were in a short Space barbarously Murdered The Irish to Dishearten the English from any Resistance bragged That the Queen was with their Army That the King would come amongst them also and Assist them That they did but maintain His Cause against the Puritans That they had the King's Com-Commission for what they did The Lords Justices sent Sir H. Spotswood to the King then in Scotland with an Account of all that happened He dispatched Sir J. Stuart with Instructions to the Lords of the Privy-Council in Ireland and to carry all the Money his present Stores would supply He likewise sent an Express to the Parliament of England as being near for their Assistance but they excused it And indeed the Irish pretended that the Scots were in Confederacy with them and to seem to Confirm it they abstained for some time from destroying the Estates or Murdering any of that Nation And on the other-side to Encourage the Irish they produced pretended Letters wherein they said They were Informed from England That the Parliament had passed an Act that all the Irish should be Compelled to the Protestant Worship and for the First Offence in refusing to Forfeit all their Goods for the Second their Estates and for the Third their Lives And besides this they presented them with the Hopes of Liberty That the English Yoak should be shaken off That they should have a King of their own Nation and that then all the Goods and Estates of the English should be divided amongst them With these Motives of Spoil and Liberty which were strengthned by the Former of Religion the Rebellion was carried on throughout the whole Kingdom The King being returned out of Scotland December 2d Summoned both Houses
Express a greater sence of Ireland than He had done That meerly to satisfie the City He had removed a Worthy Person from the Charge of the Tower And that the Tumults had caused Him to Fortifie White-Hall for the Security of His own Person That His going to the House of Commons was to Apprehend those Five Members for Treason to which the Priviledges of Parliament could not extend and that He would proceed against them no otherwise than Legally And now such numbers of ordinary People daily gathered about Westminster and White-Hall that the King doubting of their Intentions thought fit to withdraw to Hampton-Court taking with Him the Queen Prince and Duke of York where He and his Retinue and Guard quickly encreased by accession of divers of the Gentry But the next day the Five Members were Triumphantly Guarded to Westminster by a great number of Citizens and Sea-men with Hundreds of Boats and Barges with Guns in them shouting and hallowing as they passed by White-Hall and making large Protestations at Westminster of their constant Adherence and Fidelity to the Parliament About this time the Parliament had notice that the Lord Digby and Col. Lunsford were raising Troops of Horse at Kingston where the County Magazine was lodged Whereupon they order That the County Sheriffs Justices of Peace and the Trained-Bands shall take care to secure the Countries and their Magazines Lunsford was Seized and sent to the Tower but Digby escaped beyond Sea The King removed to Royston at which time Sir E. Herbert Attorny-General is questioned at the Lords-Bar to Answer concerning the Articles against the Five Members where it had gone hard with him if the King at his earnest Supplication had not taken him off by a Letter to the Lord-Keeper Littleton wherein the King clears the Attorny-General and takes the whole Business upon Himself yet concludes That finding Cause wholly to desist from Proceeding against the Persons Accused He had Commanded his Attorny-General to proceed no farther therein nor to produce nor discover any Proof concerning the same Jan. 20. The King sends a Message to the Parliament proposing the Security of his own just Rights and Royal Authority and That since particular Grievances and Distractions were too many and would be too great to be Presented by themselves that They would Comprize and Digest them into one entire Body and send them to Him And it should then appear how ready He would be to equal or exceed the greatest Examples of the most Indulgent Princes in their Acts of Grace and Favour to the People After this the Commons move the Lords to joyn with them in Petitioning for the Militia and the Command of the Tower but They not complying the House of Commons singly of themselves importune the King to put those things into the Hands of the Parliament as the only available Means for the removal of their Fears and Jealousies But the King not willing to part with the Principal Jewels of his Crown signified to them That He thought the Militia to be lawfully subject to no Commâ—nd but his Own and therefore would not let it go out of his Hands That he had preferred to the Lieutenancy of the Tower a Person of known Fortune and unquestionable Reputation and that he would Prefer none but such to the Command of his Forts and Castles Yet would not intrust the Power of Conferring those Places and Dignities from Himself it being derived to Him from his Ancestors by the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom Yet the Commons would not desist but again Petitioned and were again refused Soon after divers Petitions were delivered to the Parliament against the Votes of Popish Lords and Bishops in the House of Peers as One from Suffolk with 1500 Hands Another from London with 2000 Hands and a Third from the City-Dames To all which were Answered That the Commons had already endeavoured Relief from the Lords in their Requests and should so continue till Redress were obtained And shortly after the Lords Passed the Bill For disabling all Persons in Holy-Orders to have any place or Vote in Parliament or to exercise any Temporal Jurisdiction At the same time they Petition the King again for the Militia and for clearing Kimbolton and the Five Members By his Answer to Both they understood his Resolution Not to trust the Militia out of Himself nor to clear the Members but only by a general Pardon which was unsatisfactory The King now at Hampton-Court thought fit to send for all his Domestick Servants of either Houses of Parliament and particularly the Earls of Essex and Holland but they refused to come In the mean time Mr. Pym at a Conference complaining of the general flocking of Papists into Ireland affirmed That since the Lieutenant had ordered a stop upon the Ports against all Irish Papists many of the chief Commanders now in the head of the Rebels had been licensed to pass thither by his Majesty's immediate Warrant The King was highly offended at this Speech which He signified to the House who in their Answer to his Message justifie Mr. Pym's words to be the Sense of the House and that they had yet in safe Custody the Lord Delvin Sir G. Hamilton Col. Butler Brother to the Lord Miniard now in Rebellion and one of the Lord Nettervil's Sons To which the King replies That he thought Mr. Pym's Speech was not so well grounded as it ought to have been and that the aforementioned Persons had their Passages granted before he knew of the Parliaments Order of Restraint and therefore expected their Declaration for his Vindication from that odious Calumny of Conniving or underhand Favouring that Horrid Rebellion But the King's Desire proved fruitless for they next moved to have Sir J. Byron turned out from being Lieutenant of the Tower and at their nomination Sir J. Coniers Succeeded They then proceeded to Name fit Persons for Trust of the Militia of the several Counties And by Act of Parliament disabled all Clergy-Men from exercising Temporal Jurisdiction The Commons then drew up a Petition for Vindicating their Five Members wherein they desire the King to send them the Informers against the said Members or otherwise to desert their Prosecution would not suffice because the whole Parliament was concerned in the Charge And then they proceeded to settle the Militia for the defence of the Parliament Tower and City of London under the Command of Maj. General Skipton who had formerly been an experienced Soldier in the Low Countries The King had deferred His Answer to their Petition for settling the Militia of the Counties according to their nomination till His Return from Dover where He took leave of his Wife and Daughter and so returned to Greenwich from whence He sent to Hampton-Court for his Two Eldest Sons to come to him though contrary to the Mind of the Parliament who would have disswaded Him from it The King being now at Greenwich sends this Answer to the Petition about the Militia That he is