to say that those words were not only consonant to his Speech then made in Parliament but agreeable to the constant Tenour of his whole Life even unto the last Period His Father and Mother lived and died pious Protestants such was his Religious Lady and such are his Grand-Children at this day This Lord Conway was Knighted at the taking of Cadiz in Spain in the time of Queen Elizabeth he was afterwards for many Years Governour of the Brill in Holland where he and his Family lived as became zealous Protestants and greatly beloved and esteemed by the Protestant Magistrates and Ministers of that Town He was greatly favoured by the never to be forgotten MOST PIOUS PRINCE HENRY When the Brill and other Cautionary Towns were delivered to the Dutch upon his return into England he was imployed to Jersey to compose some Differences there which he performed to so much Satisfaction that the good Protestants of that Place always mentioned him with Honour He was then sent Ambassador to Germany in behalf of the King and Queen of Bohemia and was very acceptable to those UNHAPPILY DESERTED Protestant Princes Upon his return to England the Spanish-Match was warmly press'd against which he spake with so much Reason and Courage that the Duke of Buckingham who for particular ends resolved to ruin that Project introduced him as a proper Instrument for that purpose to be Principal Secretary of State In that Station he refused many great Gifts tendred to him by particular Persons and 10000 l. Sterling offer'd and press'd upon him by the Spanish Ambassador In the beginning of King Charles I. Reign at the opening of one of those Parliaments and according to the Custom then the Holy Communion being to be received by both Houses of Parliament by the Contrivance of some LAUDEANS the SACRAMENT was offered to the Lords in Henry the Seventh's Chappel NOT IN BREAD BUT IN WAFERS This Lord Conway was one of the Lords who refused the Wafers and caused them to be taken away and Bread to be brought * He that would not make the necessary Advances to Rome was to be neither Secretary nor Minister of State to King Charles I. Not long after K. Charles I. sent for the Seals of the Secretary's Office from him which as the Lord imployed in that Message would often say the Lord Conway delivered with an admirable Generosity becoming indeed one that in that Ministry of State had served the Publick with extraordinary Ability and Integrity had performed many noble Offices to particular Persons without Injury to any and left that Place and some others of great Profit without one Farthing advantage to the State of his Family When he was upon his Death-Bed a Lady of great Wit who was turned Papist and was the Widow of a near Relation of his Lordship very subtilly and earnestly press'd upon him concerning his Religion whereupon he strengthened himself and made full Profession of his firm Stedfastness in the Reformed Protestant Religion caus'd the Servants to convey this Lady out of his House and commanded them not to suffer any of that Religion to come to him And now Doctor I assure you at parting That as fast as you shall convince me of any Error or Mistake committed in my Scriblings about your Martyr I shall as openly and frankly retract it as I have now done this which relates to my Lord Conway Might I be made so happy as to find a sutable return from you and that you would give a free and impartial Liberty to the use of your own Reason I would yet hope that we might mutually conclude as I now do Your Friend in and for the Truth Edmund Ludlow Amsterdam Jan. 30 1691 2. FINIS A Table of some remarkable Things in this Book KIng Charles I. favouring Popery and dispensing with the Laws c. Page 3 His Bishops cherished Popery and discountenanced conformable Orthodox Ministers Page 3 Montague one of his Chaplains endeavoured to reconcile England to Rome made a Bishop Page 4 The King 's lending Ships to the French to destroy the Protestants of Rochel Page 4 Ship-Money Loan Coat and Conduct-Money required and the Refusers imprisoned and impress'd to serve at Sea Page 4 Archbishop Abbot suspended and confined By Williams disgraced and imprisoned Page 5 Sir Randolph Crew Lord Chief Justice displas'd Page 5 Tonnage and Poundage levied against Law Page 5 Earl of Bristol confined Page 6 Earl of Arundel imprison'd Page 6 Duke of Buckingham protected against the Parliament Page 6 Members of Parliament imprison'd Page 6 Sir John Elliot's Death in the Tower Page 7 The King 's threatning Speeches in Parliament Page 7 His Speech at the Meeting of the Parliament Nov. 1640. Page 11 Bishops obtruded upon Scotland against their Laws Page 12 Laud framed a Common-Prayer for Scotland and sent it to be approved by the Pope Page 12 The Scots protest against it Page 13 King James I. took the Scotish Covenant in the Year 1580. Page 13 The Scots renewed that Covenant in the Year 1638. Page 13 14 The Scots require to have the Liturgy abolished and to have a National Synod Page 14 A Synod called and dissolved by the King the Scots protest against the Dissolution and continue it Page 14 The King resolves upon a War against Scotland Page 14 That War called Bellum Episcopale Page 15 The Scots raise an Army Page 15 A Pacification concluded the King soon after burns it by the Hangman's hands Page 15 Scotish Commissioners sent to the King imprisoned Page 16 A Parliament called in April 1640 and dissolved Page 16 Members imprisoned Page 17 Clergy and Bapists contribute to a second War against Scotland Page 17 Sir Nicholas Rainton Sir Stephen Soame and other eminent Citizens imprison'd for refusing a Loan Page 17 The Scots possess themselves of Newcastle and Durham Page 17 The Lords at York petition for a Parliament Page 18 Cessation of Arms with the Scots Page 18 Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts suppress'd by Act of Parliament Page 21 Poll-money granted Page 21 Dr. Leighton's Censure in the Star-Chamber Page 22 Mr. Pryn's Dr. Bastwick's and. Mr. Burton's Censures and horrid Oppressions by Archbishop Laud. Page 24 25 Those Sentences declared illegal in Parliament Page 27 Ship-Money illegal Page 27 Lord Keeper Finch impeach'd of High-Treason about Ship-Money and flies Page 28 The many Exorbitances and Oppressions of the Bishops Page 28 Twelve of them impeach'd of Treason and all removâ—â— from the Lords House Page 29 The Earl of Strafford impeach'd and attâ—inted of Treason Page 30 Bills for Triennial Parliaments and for continuing the present Parliament passed Page 31 Conspiracy to bring the Army against the Parliament discovered Page 32 The King had a Million and half of Money in the first Year of the Parliament 1640. Page 35 The Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Dec. 1641. Page 35 The Tumults and Riots in 1641. Page 37 An Account of the occasion of those Tumults Page 41 The King accuses the Lord Mandeville and five Members of Treason Page 37 He goes to the House of Commons with an armed Force and demands the five Members Page 37 The Commons demand a Guard Page 38 The Case of the five Members discussed Page 38 The King leaves White-hall Page 42 The Parliament petitions him at Theobalds to return Page 42 They send a Declaration to him to Newmarket praying his return and the putting the Militia into safe hands Page 43 His Answer about the Militia Page 46 His sending to the King of Denmark for Aid against the Parliament Page 47 He invited the Scots against them Page 47 The Queen buys Arms in Holland Page 47 Names of the Peers recommended by the Parliament to be entrusted with the Militia Page 47 The Lords and Commons petition about the Militia Page 48 Their Ordinance for ordering the Militia Page 48 The Proceedings of the Parliament with King Richard the Second Page 49 The Lords and Commons petition the King at York to return Page 50 The King summons the Gentry to York and requires them to raise him a Guard Page 50 They petition him to return to the Parliament Page 50 Petition of many thousand Freeholders of Yorkshire Page 50 The King requires the Gentlemen c. of Yorkshire to attend him in Arms. Page 51 The Lords and Commons vote that the King Intends to raise War and that it is a Breach of his Trust and that such as assist him in that War are Traitors Page 52 They vote the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex Page 52 Their Petition to the King to return Page 52 The King's Speech at the head of his Army Page 54 The Petition of the Parliament sent by the Earl of Essex Page 56 The Preparations made by the King for War Page 58 The Opinion of above sixty Essex Ministers of the Parliament War Page 59 The Uxbridg-Treaty Page 61 Heads of Letters between the King Queen and Marquess of Ormond about the Uxbridg-Treaty and for procuring a Peace with the Irish Rebels to bring them against the Parliament Page 63 The vulgar Error of the Scots selling the King refuted Page 67 A Vindication of the Lord Conway Page 69
your Martyr's that he would put himself on the Love and Affection of his English Subjects was to draw them in to support him in his wicked War against the Scotish Nation whom at the same time he called Rebels and urged their Expulsion tho he was under an Agreement for a Cessation of Arms and to allow them 850 l. per diem and Quarters in England till their Complaints might be weighed in this Parliament 2. Information That he appeared an exorbitant and outragious Tyrant in his Attempts upon that People This appears in many Particular to recount some of them briefly 1. In overturning their Church-Government established by many Acts of Parliament and obtruding upon them Laud's Liturgy and Popish Ceremonies 2. In denying them the undoubted Right of all Subjects to petition for Redress of their Grievances 3. In dissolving their Synod and Parliament burning the Pacification made with them by the Hangman's Hands and imprisoning the Lords sent by them to petition him to perform his solemn Promises and redress their Grievances 4. In levying Armies against them and raising a Civil War to justify himself in the violation of their Laws A CIVIL WAR it was said the great Lord Digby seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King And 5. In the very thing for which you Doctor are now magnifying him I mean in attempting to make use of the Love and Affection of the English to enslave and ruin the Scotish Nation 3. Information That the Scotish Covenant was not a new Invention or Innovation but established by the Law of Scotland and taken by King James the First seventy Years before King Charles the Second took it 4. Information That Bishops and Clergy-men in Conjunction with Papists abetted and assisted this Tyrant in the Violation of the Laws when the bulk of the Nobility Gentry and People of England appeared undauntedly in defence of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom 5. Information That Popery hath greatly spread in Scotland over since Land 's Superstition was introduced there their number then not exceeding 600 and therefore Presbytery being now restored there by Law it may be reasonably hoped that it will reduce many who have been deluded into that Idolatry 6. Information That PRINCES ARE NOT ALWAYS TO TRUST TO THE Insinuations and Suggestions of Scotish Bishops seeing that when they instigated King Charles the First to dissolve the Synod and Parliament he was seduced by them into a Belief that the Scotish Covenanters were a contemptible number and that THEIR PARTY in Scotland was sufficient to deal with them 7. Information That the Scots were not Rebels in taking Arms to assert their Rights and vindicate the Laws and Liberties of their Country For my Noble Lord Russel the Honour of our Age was most undoubtedly in the right when the day before his Murder he wrote in his Paper left behind him the following words I cannot deny but that I have been of Opinion that a free Nation like this might defend their Religion and Liberties when invaded and taken from them the under pretence and colour of Law I do â—â—firm this was his Orthodox Opinion and these the words he wrote tho they were left out of the Print and in that day there might be reason to omit them But to bethink my self Reverend Sir and to return to what we were upon I lest you thinking at our last parting I will now hear what your Head run upon I think say you he that rends the first half Year's Transactions betwixt King Charles and this Parliament Pag. 5. will find he made his Word good to a tittle for whatsoever they offered to him by way of Bill which the Nation groaned under before as a real nay but as a fancied Burden he PRESENTLY posses it To shew that Against Experience you believe And argue against Demonstration Pleas'd that you can your self deceive And set your Judgment by your Passion We must have a little Chat about this half Year which has exercised your Thoughts and I shall shew you the Reasons wherefore I dissent from your Opinion That your Martyr READILY PASSED whatsoever Bills the Parliament affored for the Redress of the Nation 's Grievances Now a cannot remember one Instance in the whole History of his Reign of a willing and ready Compliance with his People in any one Act of Grace or Justice Every thing of that kind in the whole course of his Life was wrested from him by the universal Outory of the Kingdom against his high Oppressions which did never avail but when the extremity of his Affairs wrought his stubborn Mind to a Compliance And most sure I am that you are mistaken in the sew Instances you bring You say That he PRESENTLY pass'd the Bills for putting down the Stan-Chamber and High-Commission-Coures But I affirm the contrary and do thus prove it The Parliament could never bring him to make a fair Bargain with them they bought every thing at a very dear rate and when they had come to his Price they were ever in danger of being wick'd They came to a Contract with him to yield up those two accursed Courts of Oppression and Tyranny and agreed to a POLL BILL wherein every Duke was assessed at 100 l. a Marquese at 80 l. Earls 60 l. Viscounts and Barons 40 l. Knights of the Bath and Baronets 30 l. nother Knights 20 l. Esquires 10 l. every Genduriam dispending 100 l. per Annum 5 l. and all others of Ability to pay a competent proportion and the meanest Head in the whole Kingdom was not excused I hear there is now a Poll-Bill on foot in this present Parliament and therefore from the high Affection and Duty which I hear and shall ever pay to those excellent Princes who do so happily fill their Grandfathers and Fathers Throne I do here remember my Country men at what rate and for what they were thus assessed in 1640. Then they were forc'd to buy off the Encroachments of a TYRANT who had sworn to maint ain their Laws and Liberties but now they at lower rates are only to enable the hest Princes that ever sway'd the English Scepter to vanquish the worst of Tyrants Well This Bargain was struck and the Parliament resolving very honestly to stand to it they prepared the Bills but finding the King begin to falter declaring that he would take their Money but would not at that time pass the Bills to put down the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts They voted that he should pass all the three Bills or none at all However Neither the Contract nor their Vote could hold him he trick'd them here and upon the 2d of July pass'd the Poll-Money Bill but demurred upon the other two The afterwards finding that the matter was very ill taken and that it was not seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time he passed the other two Bills And now hope that you are convinced that he did not so PRESENTLY pass Bills for Redrese
Monarch might invade the just Rights of the People nor the People incroach upon the Rights of his Crown and Dignity Having said this you intimate that he told them something upon their presenting Petitions to him at Theobalds and New-market Then it seems that they called upon him likewise and 't is fit my Country-men should know for what seeing you do maliciously withhold it Upon the 1st of March 1641 BOTH HOUSES CALLED UPON HIS MAJESTY by their Petition presented at Theobalds That for the dispatch of the great Affairs of the Kingdom the Safety of his Person the Protection and Comfort of his Subjects he would be pleased to continue his Abode near the Parliament and not to withdraw himself to any the remoter Parts which if he should do must needs be a cause of great Danger and Distraction And they prayed him to accept this humble Counsel as the Effect of that Duty and Allegiance which they owed unto him and which would not suffer them to admit of any Thoughts Intentions or Endeavours but such as were necessary and advantagious for his Majesties Greatness and Honour and the Safety and Prosperity of the Kingdom Expressions surely that do not in the least savour of that Sedition and Rebellion with which at this time by you Doctor and many other WICKED Clergy-men the Memory of this great Parliament is charged The King being deaf to the importunate Supplication of the Lords and Commons for his Return They again called upon him more earnestly sending after him a Declaration to Newmarket by the Earles of Pembroke and Holland and a Committee of the Commons wherein they laid before him the Causes of their own Fears and Jealousies in these Particulars 1. That the design of altering Religion had been potently carried on by those in greatest Authority about him the Queen's Agent at Rome the Pope's Nuncio here are not only Evidences of this Design but have been great Actors in it 2. That the War with Scotland was procured to make way for this Intent and chiefly fomented by the Papists and other Popishly affected whereof we have many Evidences 3. That the Rebellion in Ireland was framed and contrived here in England and that the English Papists should have risen about the same time we have several Testimonies c. The Irish Rebels affirm that they do nothing but by Authority from the King they call themselves the Queen's Army The Booty which they take from the English they mark with the Queen's mark and it is proved that their purpose was to come to England after they had done in Ireland 4. The labouring to infuse into your Majesty's Subjects an evil Opinion of the Parliament and other Symptoms of a Disposition of raising Arms and dividing your People by a Civil War in which Combustion Ireland must needs be lost and this Kingdom miserably wasted and consumed if not wholly ruined and destroyed 5. That your Majesty sent away the Lord Digby by your own Warrant beyond the Sea after a Vote had passed in the House of Commons declaring that he had appeared in a Warlike manner at Kingston upon Thames to the Terror of your Majesty's good Subjects that he being so got beyond Sea he vented his traiterous Conceptions That your Majesty should declare your self and retire to a place of Strength and intimated some Service which he might do in those Parts whereby in probability he intended the procuring of some Foreign Force to strengthen your Majesty in that Condition into which he would have brought you which malicious Counsel we have great Cause to doubt made too deep an Impression in your Majesty CONSIDERING THE COURSE YOU ARE PLEASED TO TAKE OF ABSENTING YOUR SELF FROM YOUR PARLIAMENT and carrying the Prince with you which seems to express a purpose in your Majesty to keep your self in a readiness for the acting of it 6. The manifold Advertisements which we have had from Rome Venice Paris and other parts that they still expect that your Majesty has some great Design in hand for the altering of Religion the breaking the Neck of your Parliament and that you will yet find means to compass that Design That the Pope's Nuncio hath sollicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend your Majesty 4000 Men apiece to help to maintain your Royalty against the Parliament These are some of the grounds of our Fears and Jealousies which made us so earnestly to implore your Royal Authority and Protection for our Defence and Security in all the ways of Humility and Submission which being denied by your Majesty We do with Sorrow apply our selves to the use of that * The Militia Power which by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom resides in us yet still resolving to keep our selves within the Bounds of Faithfulness and Allegiance to your Sacred Person and your Crown And as to the Fears and Jealousies which his Majesty seemed to have entertained of them The Lords and Commons thus answered We have according to your Majesty's Desires laid our Hands upon our Hearts we have ask'd our selves in the strictest Examination of our Consciences we have search'd our Affections our Thoughts considered our Actions and can find none that can give your Majesty and just occasion to absent your self from Whitehall and the Parliament but that you may with more Honour and Safety continue there than in any other place Your Majesty lays a general Charge upon us if you will be graciously pleased to let us know the Particulars we shall give a clear and satisfactory Answer But what hope can we have of ever giving your Majesty Satisfaction when those Particulars which you have been made believe were true yet being produced and made known to us appeared to be false and your Majesty notwithstanding will neither punish nor produce the Authors but go on to contract new Jealousies and Fears upon general and uncertain grounds affording us no means or possibility of particular Answer to the clearing of our selves WE BESEECH YOUR MAJESTY TO CONSIDER IN WHAT STATE YOU ARE how easy and fair a way you have to Happiness Honour and Greatness Plenty and Security if you will join with the Parliament in the Defence of the Religion and publick Good of the Kingdom THIS IS ALL WE EXPECT FROM YOU and for this we return to you our Lives Fortunes and utmost Eadeavours to support your Majesty your just Soveraignty and Power over us but IT IS NOT WORDS THAT CAN SECURE US in these our humble Desires We cannot but too well and sorrowfully remember what GRACIOUS MESSAGES we had from you this Summer when WITH YOUR PRIVITY the bringing up the Army was in Agitation We cannot but with the like Affections recal to our Minds how not two days before your own coming to the Commons House you sent a GRACIOUS MESSAGE that you would always have care of their Priviledges as of your own Prerogative of the Safety of their Persons as of your own Children that which we expect which will give
us assurance that you have no thought but of Peace and Justice to your People must be some real Effect of your Goodness to them in granting those things which the present Necessity of the Kingdom do inforce us to desire And that you will be graciously pleased to put from you those mischievous Counsellors which have caused all these Dangers and Distractions and to continue your own Residence and the Princes near London and the Parliament which we hope will be a happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt your Majesty and your People and be followed with many succeeding Blessings of Honour and Greatness to your Majesty and of Security and Prosperity to them These are brief Heads good Doctor of the Declaration which you mention to be read to the King at Newmarket and you with very little regard to his Majesty's Honour do affirm that after the hearing this Declaration read he expostulated in these words What would you have Have I violated your Laws Pag. 8. Were you so well read in the History of that Day as you pretend to be this his strong Expostulation with the Lords and Commons would never have found room in your Defence of the King for his high violation of the Laws were too well known to the whole World to be denied and you his Majesty's Defender would never have revived the thing had you remembred the short but most pertinent Reply which both Houses made thereto in these words We are heartily sorry we have such plentiful matter of an Answer to that Question HAVE I VIOLATED YOUR LAWS You proceed Pag. 9. Sir saying That the Applications from the two Houses at this time were for NOTHING LESS than the MILITIA You are out again Doctor and would I use the Royal Language wherewith the Earl of Holland was intterrupted by the King in reading the Declaration to him at New-market I might with more Truth than he did say THAT' 's FALSE THAT' 's A LIE For in recounting some Particulars of the Declaration I have demonstrated that their Application was also for other and less Matters than the Militia they humbly petitioned him to put away his wicked Counsellors and to return to his Parliament You add That the King continuing stedfast to his Resolution and DEAF TO ALL THEIR IMPORIVNITIES The want of Ears I must tell you Reverend Sir cost him his Head at last telling them That he would nor part with his Militia for an Hour I must help you a little in this part of the Story too The Earl of Pembrook ask'd him Whether the Militia might not be granted as was desired by the Parliament for a time HIS MAJESTY SWORE BY GOD NOT FOR AN HOUR This shews him a little more stubbornly stedfast than you would tell the World however you told too much in this place or his Majesty resolved and swore too fast for afterwards you say That at the Treaty at Vxbridg Pag. 20. He consented that the Militia for three Years should be in the Hands of twenty Commissioners the one half to be nominated by the two Houses Your next words are these THE MILITIA THEY MUST HAVE Pag. 9. OR THE NATION IS UNDONE The State of the Kingdom at that Day considered there never fell from your Pen a greater Truth than what you have here delivered for besides the particular Instances which I have already given you of the King's Invasion of the Priviledges of the Parliament of the Rights of the People and of his Prâ—â—â—â—ations for War against them I must here inform you that in the beginning of the Year 1641 a time when the King was in appearance transacting Matters amicably with the two Houses and we seemed to be in a deep Peace a time when he declared that he had received no other carriage from his Parliament than what he professed himself satisfied with and that if the Bills he had past were again to be offered he should chearfully and readily assent unto them even then he dispatched away Letters and an Agent to the King of Denmark complaining of the Parliament and asking Supplies from thence AD PROPVLSANDOS HOSTES you know the English of that is to subdue his Enemies and declared himself in these words ☜ ad alia Consilia Animum convertendum duximus VVe resolve to betake our self to new Counsels the very words he used to the Parliament in the Year 1628. Further upon the Discovery of his Plot to bring up the English Army against the Parliament he turned to the Scotish Army then at Newcastle and baited his Temptation with a rich Reward not only to have 300000 l. in hand and the Spoil of London but four Northern Counties to be made Scotish Moreover to encourage them to joyn with him he declared to them that he was to have Money and Horse from Denmark and that he would made York the place of his Residence for the better Accommodation of both Nations or fuller Revenge upon London He also gathered Men in London under pretence of raising Forces for Portugal who were to possess themselves of the Tower The Queen in Holland was buying Arms and his Majesty had actually raised Forces in divers Counties The Parliament was all this time petitioning in Peace And for the Reasons now assigned amongst many others They humbly besought him that he would be pleased to put the Tower of London and the Militia into the hands of such Persons as should be recommended to him by both Houses of Parliament The King seemed to comply herein and by his Answer promised them that the Militia should be put into such hands as they should approve of or recommend to him hereupon both Houses nominated Persons of the greatest Honour as fit for that Trust to give you the Names of some of them the Earls of Holland Rutland Bedford Bullingbrook Salisbury Warwick Pembrook Leicester Stamford Essex Clare Northumberland Lincoln Suffolk c. Lords Paget North Strange Roberts Grey of Werk Chandois Dacres Mandeville Wharton Spencer Brook Herbert Fielding Littleton Lord Keeper c. Men eminent in all Quallifications of Honour and Sufficiency were recommended for several Counties and the King was desired to agree thereunto as he had promised upon his delaying to give a satisfactory Answer they again petition him to give such an Answer as might raise in them a Confidence that they should not be exposed to the Practices of those who thirst after the Ruin of the Kingdom and the kindling that Combustion in England which they had effected in Ireland That nothing could enable them to suppress THE REBELLION IN IRELAND and secure England but the granting of their humble Petition which they find so absolutely necessary for the preservation of the King and Common-wealth that the Laws of God and Man injoyn them to see it put in Execution They again by a Petition presented at Theobalds March 1 1641. intreated him that he would at last be pleased to grant their necessary Petition concerning the
Militia and declared that if he refused to do it in these times of Distraction they must be inforced to dispose of it for the Safety of the Kingdom in such manner as had been propounded to his Majesty They followed him with the same humble Supplication in his several Removes to York but HE HAVING ABDICATED the Parliament and BEING DEAF as you most ingenuously confess TO ALL THEIR IMPORTUNITIES they declared that there had been of late a most desperate Design upon the House of Commons which they had just cause to believe was an Effect of the BLOODY COVNSELS of PAPISTS and other ill-affected Persons who had already raised A REBELLION IN IRELAND and by reason of many Discoveries they could not but fear they would proceed not only to stir up the like REBELLION AND INSVRRECTION in this Kingdom but also to back them with Forces from abroad and thereupon both Houses made an Ordinance for the ordering the Militia of England and Wales there appearing an urgent and inevitable Necessity for putting his Majesty's Subjects in a Posture of Defence for the Safeguard of both his Majesty and the People And they RESOLVED that in this case of extream Danger and of his Majesty's refusal the Ordinance agreed to by both Houses for the Militia doth oblige the People and OVGHT TO BE OBEYED by the Fundamental Eaws of this Kingdom They further about that time RESOLVED That the King's Absence so far remote from his Parliament was not only an Obstruction but MIGHT BE A DESTRVCTION to the Affairs of Ireland And now Sir having laid before you the Grounds of the Parliament's proceeding as they did in the business of the Militia I will shew you how much higher our Fore-fathers went than we did in 1641. They were of that Courage and Severity of Zeal to Justice and their Native Liberty against the proud Contempt and Mis-rule of their Kings that when RICHARD the Second departed but from a Committee of Lords who sat preparing Matters for the Parliament they required the King then withdrawn no further off than the Tower to come to Westminster WHICH HE REFUSING THEY FLATLY TOLD HIM THAT UNLESS HE CAME THEY WOULD CHOOSE ANOTHER KING So high a Crime it was accounted then for a King to absent himself much less would they have suffered that a King should leave his Regal Station and the whole Kingdom bleeding to Death of those Wounds which his own unskilful and perverse Government had made Yet WE IN OUR DAY went not their length THE KING HAD ABDICATED our Religion Lives and Liberties were threatned with most imminent Danger from intestine Enemies and Foreign Force WE only made a most necessary Provision that our own Swords should not be imployed to the Destruction of all that was dear unto us And pray what harm what Rebellion was there in all this The next thing we meet with in your Defence Pag. 10. REVEREND DOCTOR is this Before the War actually broke out the King was gone to York hoping thereby to COOL THE HEATS that were AT LONDON and in some little time TO BE INVITED thither to live with more Honour and Safety than he did before The King in truth went to York in a high Chafe hoping for something beyond and contrary to what you intimate 't was in hopes that to enable himself the better for that dismal War which he had resolved upon he might possess himself of Hull a Town of great Strength and most advantagiously situated both for Sea and Land Affairs and which was at that time the Magazine of all the Arms which he had bought with Money most illegally extorted from his Subjects to use in a causless and most unjust Civil War against his Subjects of Scotland Did he hope for an Invitation back to London Why he had that very often made to him in a most humble and earnest manner in particular by a Petition of the Lords and Commons presented to him at York the 26th of March 1642. They humbly advised and beseeched him that FOR THE RECOVERY OF IRELAND and securing this Kingdom he would be graciously pleased with all convenient speed to return to London and to close with the Counsel of his Parliament where he should find their dutiful Affections and Endeavours ready to attend him with such Entertainment as should not only give him just cause of Security in their Faithfulness but other manifold Evidences of their Intentions and Endeavours to advance his Majesty's Service Honour and Contentment and to establish it upon the sure Foundation of the Peace and Prosperity of his Kingdoms EXPRESSIONS surely Doctor THAT DO NOT IN THE LEAST SAVOUR OF REBELLION AND TREASON The deaf King instead of hearkning to this dutiful Petition and Invitation summoned the Gentry of that County to attend him at York where he made the most bitter Invectives against the Parliament and stirred them up to raise Horse and Foot for his Service His Majesty found but six Gentlemen to comply with his Demand of raising Men tho made under the pretence of a Guard The greater part of the Gentlemen and divers thousands of Freeholders gave him an Answer under their hands to this effect We humbly beseech your Majesty to impart the grounds of your Fears and Jealousies to your High Court of Parliament OF WHOSE MOST LOYAL CARE AND AFFECTION TO YOVR MAJESTY'S HONOVR AND SAFETY WE ARE MOST CONFIDENT and WHATSOEVER SHALL BE ADVISED BY YOVR GREAT COVNCIL we shall most willingly imbrace and give our Concurrence and Assistance to it as shall become us And WE ARE MOST ASSVRED that your Royal Person shall be secure in the general Fidelity of your Subjects of this County without any extraordinary GUARD The King was presented the next day with a Petition from many thousands who justly stiled themselves peaceably affected Subjects in the County of York in which they speak thus That many of them in their late Desires of petitioning your Majesty were denied Access kept back with Violence and affronted by some who had Dependance on your Majesty and were threatned that WHEN YOVR MAJESTY'S ARMY SHOVLD BE ON FOOT those should be first pillaged that refused to subscribe to the raising of Forces which we humbly conceive are POSITIVELY CONTRARY TO YOVR MAJESTY'S OWN EXPRESSIONS c. We humbly supplicate your Majesty to cast your Eye upon the present State of this your Kingdom We are confident that no so absolute and hearty Observance to your Majesty's just Commands can be demostrated as what your Majesty in Parliament shall declare which IF IT BECOME DIVIDED as God forbid our Hearts even tremble to consider the Dangers and Diminution of the Honour and Safety your Majesty's Posterity and Kingdoms will unavoidably be put upon Since it is clear to every Vnderstanding that IT IS NOT A DIVIDED PART OF ONE OR SEVERAL COVNTIES THAT can afford that Honour and Safety to your Majesty AS THE WHOLE KINGDOM WHICH YOV MAT COMMAND no ground of Fear or Danger remaining if a good