Enemy of the Reformed Religion And your Majesty's Petitioners shall ever pray c. Concluded the 28th of August 1640. Francis Bedford Robert Essex Mulgrave Say and Seal Edward Howard William Hartford Warwick Bullingbrooke Mandevil Brook Paget The King's Answer BEfore the receipt of your Petition His Majesty well foresaw the danger that threatens himself and Crown and therefore resolved the 24th of this Instant to Summon all the Peers and with them to Consult what in this Case is fittest to be done for his own honour and safety of the Kingdom where they with the rest may offer any thing that may conduce to those ends According to this Resolution the Lord-Keeper had Directions from the King to issue out Writs of Summons for their appearing at York on the day prefixt which he punctually pursued Soon after the presenting of this Petition from the Lords came another from the Scots the substance whereof was a Desire That His Majesty would call a Parliament for setling a firm peace between the two Nations To this Petition the King replyed with signification of what he had ordered before in reference to himself and to the welfare of both Kingdoms And the Truth of it is it was high time for an Accommodation to be effected for Lesley now began to rant it in New-Castle and the parts adjacent as Brennus did at Rome with a Vae Victis He imposed a Tax of 350 pounds per diem upon the Bishoprick of Durham and 300 pounds upon Northumberland upon pain of Plundering and yet permitted Souldiers to rifle Houses break open Shops and act what insolencies they pleased seized upon four great English Ships laden with Corn as lawful prize they not knowing in whose possession the Town was till they enter'd the Haven The first day of the Lords Assembling at York it was resolved that a Parliament should be Summoned to convene at Westminster November the Third Then a Message was sent to the Scots desiring a speedy Treaty at York The Scots replied They held that no place of security for their Commissioners considering that the Lieutenant of Ireland who commanded His Majesties Army was one who had proclaimed them Traytors in Ireland before the King had done the same in England and who had threatned to destroy their Nation both Root and Branch and against whom as a chief Incendiary of the late Troubles they intended to complain whereupon it was concluded that the Treaty should be held at Rippon which accordingly took place The Parliament now approaching whose Convening was attended by this Kingdom with so much longing such impatience of desires as every moment which retarded it was interpreted as a kind of Grievance to the Subject for we began now to think that nothing could make us a happy People but a Parliament and that no Parliament could make us miserable This was the Sence of the greater part of this Nation and if this Parliament succeeded not adequate to some Mens Vote perhaps the miscarriage of their hopes may be somewhat imputed to this Sence Over-ruling Providence delights oft to order the Operations of free and natural Agents counter to Mans Expectations to teach us the vanity of that Faith which is founded upon Causes subaltern And oh that I could here but express to the life the high Expectations of the People from this Parliament which came with such a terrible swing after so long an Interval and so many Dissolutions that put the whole Nation into such a Consternation as I presume the like President cannot be produced out of the Records of Antiquity since William the Conqueror did first invade our English Territories But however Courteous Readers for your present Divertisement I will here make a small Attempt to express the present Thoughts and Expectations of that Parliament which in process of time brake forth into a Civil War and I pray God I may never live to see the like again the which I shall represent under the Emblem of a new â—â—ght and well-built Ship which upon the Launching was named The Bon Resolution although some would have it called The House of Commons others The Three Estates and others The Swiftsure and was immediately employ'd in His Majesties Service but being for some time wind-bound within the Harbor viz. about 12 days the Captain of the said Ship coming early out of his Cabin one morning and finding the Wind tackt about and blowing fair for his intended Voyage being upon the Quarter-Deck he knocks up his Seamen and salutes them after this manner viz. ARise you Mortals from your Dens of Sleep Neptune now calls to launch into the Deep The Wind blows fair it 's lately turn'd South-west And we must Sail directly to the East For Pearls and Diamonds Jewels of great Rate Which in the Acquest sometimes a broken Pate Hath been our Lot yet still we venture must You know our Shipwrights wherein so great a Trust Is now repos'd in us comes from Whitehall Our late Commission whence we may learn All Which way to steer our course and will direct Whom we must crush and whom we must protect In this our Voyage 'T is the Common-weal Of these Three Kingdoms That a Roaring Peal Of Small and Great Shot now aloud must Ring From this our Vessel To preserve the King In all His Legal Rights But to advance Against all those who have lead up a Dance As will in time if Heavens do not prevent Destroy both King and all the Parliament and in their stead set up a Scarlet Whore Of whose sweet Nature we have long before Known by Experience and now for to be cheated By their Sham-Plots again and to be defeated Huzza Brave Lads This thing shall never be We 'll rather chuse upon a Triple Tree To take our chance and now Heavens crown the Event And bless our Vessel and our good Intent Heavens bless us from the Sally Men of War Heavens bless us likewise that we do not jar Among our selves If such a thing should be And that our Seamen now should disagree And fight for Thimbles Bodkins and Gu-gaws Instead of fighting for the Good Old Cause Of Liberty and Property Oh! this Evil Would make us Zealots for the Pope and Devil More than for Christs true Church which now doth stand In danger much if these should have Command Within our British Isle which to prevent God bless our King and His next Parliament Which now approacheth whom we must defend And so our Ship the Lord Almighty send Into safe Harbor when that we shall bring Peace to the Church and Honor to the King And when our Pearls and Diamonds shall arrive We 'll fix them fast upon King CHARLES his Hive His Crown shall glister like the Rising Sun. Courage Brave Boys Our Wars shall then be done When we shall see those Fellows sent from hence With all their Tories to that place from whence They first did rise which was from that Grand Syre Who claims the Patent to be the great Lyar
THE HISTORY AND TRANSACTIONS OF THE ENGLISH NATION More especially by their Representatives Assembled in PARLIAMENT In the Reign of King CHARLES c. Most Faithfully and Impartially Examined Collected and Compared together for the present Seasonable Use Benefit and Information of the Publick ALSO The Wonderful and most Solemn Manner and Form of Ratitifying Confirming and Pronouncing of that most dreadful Curse and Execration against the Violaters and Infringers of MAGNA CHARTA In the Time of HENRY the Third King of England c By a Person of Quality and True Lover of his Countrey LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by Richard Janeway in Queens-Head-Court in Pater-Noster-Row M.DC.LXXXIX Multum in Parvo AUT VOX VERITATIS c. THAT we are fallen into an Age wherein almost all sorts of Men amongst us are still setled upon their Lees there 's none of us all so happy as to be ignorant thereof and how that the Judgments and Sentiments of Men and more especially in this latter Age of the World are most strangely degenerated biassed enslaved and almost overwhelmed with pride vain-glory hypocrisie self-interest that great Diana and Goddess of this World ambition passion prejudice partiality faction rebellion the espousing of a party Et cum multis aliis c. And yet that which is most wonderful and matter of astonishment is this viz. That all these Parties in general or particular do declare and pretend That as to their several Transactions in the World wherein they are concerned and in opposition to the rest of their Neighbours is purely to manifest their great and fervent Zeal to the Honour and Glory of Almighty God and to promote as much as in them lyes a most firm exact and uniform Obedience not omitting at all times their specious pretences of their steady and untainted Loyalty to their Prince both in Church and State. But how these Gentlemen and specious Pretenders before mentioned will come off at the long run for as we usually say Finis coronat opus without a scratch't face and a blot in their scutcheons when-as their several Transactions shall be impartially examined and searched to the bottom is a kind of a pretty question to be started and indeed it would be a very ingenious and pleasant divertisement to any person that would make it his business to study the point and thoroughly and impartially to make an experiment thereof This small Treatise Courteous Readers peradventure may give you some small satisfaction in relation to the premises and it is more than probable that others hereafter of a more learned and more ingenious capacity may take example by this small and well-intended piece to enlarge thereupon and farther to explain what I have here succinctly intimated only for my own and for some others which I shall forbear to name present and seasonable satisfaction as to those grand Debates Councels and Transactions which are now in the midst of us upon the wheel and here I must beg that the Lord of his infinite Grace and Mercy would be pleased to send us at length a good issue upon them all both in Church and State. This I thought requisite to cite by way of Introduction and now will take leave to conduct you somewhat closer and nearer to our matter in hand Et honoi soit que mal y pense and herein we shall proceed in manner and form as followeth That we are fallen at present not only into a degenerate rebellious ambitious and stubborn Age but in particular into a very curious critical and obnoxious time in that age viz. Anno Domini 1680 and 1681 wherein as by experience is manifestly true a man is almost made though not in the edg of the Law but in the edg of some others who would be Law-makers a Capital offender for some words placing or speaking which peradventure may be very good orthodox and loyal in themselves until they come to be scanned weighed and interpreted by others in a quite different and contrary sense I know Courteous Readers you are most of you at least the best of you able and I hope willing to joyn issue with me herein as Attestators to the truth hereof But whether there be a fatality in these present years as there was about 40 years since which are by-past and gone and all things buried or at least ought to be forgotten in an Act of Oblivion as to the Transactions of those as we do usually call them rebellious times or whether this critical time doth portend good things to his Majesty of Great Britain's whom God of his infinite mercy long preserve for our peace and quietness sake affairs and concerns as to his present Government in particular or whether of any good consequence to the Subjects of his Three Kingdoms in general or whether this year the Lyon and the Lamb shall not lye down together according to an ancient Prophecy or whether His Majesties just Prerogative and his Subjects Priviledges shall go hand in hand together I am not able to determine although some pretend to give a shrewd guess thereunto as to future contingencies yet I will hope the best as being fully perswaded and convinced that the God and Father of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is the Author of Peace and Lover of Concord and of the Souls of them who are willing under their Magistrates whether Heathen or Christian to live quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty will be pleased at length to bring forth peace tranquillity and order out of all our disorders animosities and present confusions And herein let every true and Loyal-hearted Subject and English man say Amen But however this I am sure of as being able to attest that truth in particular viz. That humble Petitions and Addresses to His Majesty of Great Britain this year Anno Domini 1681 is A-la-mode and the very newest fashion and in my slender judgment and apprehension is a very comely decent and commendable fashion since the Dissolution of the late Parliament at Oxford and His Majesties late Declaration to all his Loving Subjects and Ordered to be read by the Reverend Clergy of the Land in all Churches and Chappels since which time Addresses and Humble Petitions have swarm'd in a main from all Points of the compass viz. from Cities Burroughs Towns-Corporate Lieutenancies Trained-Bands c. as if they were resolved to storm VVhitehall VVindsor-Castle Hampton-Court and His Majesty Himself God of Heaven preserve Him with no other weapons than steady and untainted Loyalty and with all dutiful and humble Allegiance unto His Majesties Government as it is now by Law established both in Church and State And for the which the Lord High Chancellor of England in the Person of His Majesty hath given them all his true and hearty Thanks for their so numerous and seasonable appearing at this present conjuncture in opposition to some others who it seems have not the good-hap with the rest of their
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
Letter And we are of opinion That when the good and safety of the Kingdom in general is concerned and the whole Kingdom in danger Your Majesty may by Writ under your Great Seal of England Command all the Subjects of this your Kingdom at their charge to provide and furnish such number of Ships with Men Victual Munition and for such time as your Majesty shall think fit for the defence and safeguard of the Kingdom from such peril and danger and that by Law your Majesty may compel the doing thereof in case of refusal or refractoriness And we are also of opinion That in such case your Majesty is the sole Judg. both of the danger and when and how the same is to be prevented and avoided John Bramston John Finch Humphrey Davenport John Denham Richard Hotton William Jones George Crook Thomas Trever George Vernon Robert Barkley Francis Crauly Richard Weston These Opinions being subscribed by all the Judges and inrolled in all the Courts in Westminster-Hall the King thought he had now warrant sufficient to proceed against all defaulters and especially against Mr. Hambden who being summoned by process appeared and required Oyer of the Ship Writs which being read he demurred in Law and demanded the Opinion of all the Judges upon the Legal sufficiency of those Writs This great Case coming to be argued in the Exchequer the Major part of the Judges delivered their Opinions in favour of the Writs and accordingly gave Judgment against Mr. Hambden yet did not the question altogether so repose but Mr. Hambden observing some Judges viz. Crook and Hatton of a contrary sense held up the Contest still though all in vain all his inquietude not gaining him the least acquittal until an higher Power interposed About the beginning of January this year Anno 1639. Sir Thomas Coventry dyeth dyed Sir Thomas Coventry Lord-Keeper of the Great Seal of England a Dignity he had Fifteen years enjoyed if it be not more proper to say That Dignity had enjoyed him so long this latter affording not one every way of more apt qualifications for the place His front and presence bespake a venerable regard not inferior to that of any of his Ancestors His train and suit of followers was disposed agreeably to shun both envy and contempt not like that of the Viscount St. Albans or the Bishop of Lincoln whom he succeeded ambitious and vain His port was State their 's Ostentation they were indeed the more knowng men but their Learning was extravagant to their Office of what concerned his Place he knew well enough and which is the main acted according to his knowledg for in the administration of Justice he was so erect and so incorrupt as captious malice stands mute in the blemish of his same a miracle the greater when we consider that he was also a Privy Councellor A Trust wherein he served his Master the King most faithfully and the more faithfully because of all those Councils which in those times did so much deceive his Majesty and I pray God there were fewer at this juncture of time than there is he was an earnest disswader and did much disaffect those Sticklers who rather laboured to make the Prerogative tall and great as knowing that such men loved the King better than Charles Stuart so that although he was a Courtier and had for his Master a passion most intense yet had he also always of passion some reserve for the publick welfare An Argument of a free noble and right principled mind for what both Court and Country have always held as inconsistent is in truth erroneous and no man can be truly Loyal who is not also a good Patriot nor any a good Patriot the Ballance indispensably ought to be kept even who is not truly Loyal To this worthy Gentleman succeeded Sir John Finch formerly Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. The Heer Somerdick An Embassador from the States of Holland Embassador from the States of Holland in the Month of January had Audience of the King He had with him Count William of Nassaw and the Rhine-Grave with a very splendid train his business was to give his Majesty satisfaction concerning the late Attack made upon the Spaniards by the Dutch Fleet in the Downs and the Embassy was sweetned by some overture of Marriage between the young Prince of Orange and the Kings Eldest Daughter On the Thirteenth of April A Parliament sits in England after near 12 years interval April 1640. A Parliament met and sate and the Deputy of Ireland being not long before Created Earl of Strafford and made Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom was lead into the upper House by two Noblemen where he gave an account of his service in Ireland where he had obtained the grant of four Subsidies for the maintenance of an Army Mr. John Glanvil was chosen Speaker of the House of Commons and generally the choice of Members to that House was so good that great probabilitles were given of a happy Union betwixt the King and the Parliament Some few days after a Report was made to the Lords by the Lord Cottington who with Windebank and the Attorney General were sent by the King to the Lord Lowden to examine him concerning a Letter before mentioned that the Lord did acknowledge the Hand-Writing to be his and that it was framed before the pacification at Berwick and was never sent to the King but only prepared in a readiness should need require and that it was supprest upon that pacification nevertheless it was thought fit he should continue in the same state until clearer Evidence should be given either for or against him Soon after the King sent a message to the Lower House about Supplies representing unto them the intolerable indignities and injuries wherewith the Scots had treated him and withal declared unto them that if they would assist him sutable to the exigency of his sad occasion he would for ever quit his claim of Shipmoney and into the bargain give them full content in all their just demands But they replied as being somewhat deliberate in this affair of Money that they expected first security from his Majesty in these three particulars viz. 1. For the clearing the Subjects Property 2. For the Establishment of Religion 3. For the Priviledg of Parliament Many Conferences there was had between the Lords and Commons as to this old Contest which should precede The Lords after a strong division among themselves at length Voted for the King and the Commons for the Subject But it was not long before this unhappy difference was unhappily decided For Secretary Vane who was employed to declare the particulars of the Kings desires required twelve Subsidies whereas it was said his express order was for only six some there are who suspect this mistake to have been not involuntary but industrious in him as to his Majesties service but leaving that undetermined the House of Commons was raised by this Proposition The
Parliament dissolved May the fifth 1640. having sate about 3 weeks to such animosity as the King advising with his Juncto their complyance was represented to him so desperate as that May the fifth he ordered the Dissolution of the Parliament Thus expired this short-liv'd or rather thus ended this still-born Parliament although we have had a much shorter Anno Domini 1680. A Parliament I know not whether more unfortunate in beginning so late or ending so soon A Parliament which had Power and probably Will enough to impede the torrent of the late Civil War for the breaches between the King and People were grown so high as one might already discern all the lineaments of an Insurrection in Embrio but by my Authors good leave the wisest head could not foresee contingent actions for who could foretel but that his late Majesty might have been advised by his Grand Council and not by his Court Favourites whose abortion nothing could cause but a happy union in Parliament a thing not very difficult much less impossible at that time had the King yielded to a detrenching some luxuriances of his Prerogative to the reducing Episcopacy to its primitive institution that is to the frame by Divine Right a Root which had not sap enough to maintain so spreading and flourishing a Top as was contended for to a more frequent and sociable communication with the grand Representative In short so much fluent and spontaneous concessions as being resolved upon too late were in reference to his personal security lost and thrown away in the ensuing Parliament of the which we shall now very suddenly come to give a very succinct account as to their particular proceedings and transactions and compare both these Parliaments together with those that have been assembled of late Anno Domini 1680. and 1681. And after that shall draw towards a conclusion as I presume it will be high time lest my Multum in Parvo Vox Veritatis should prove at the long run Vox Contractitionis But this only by the way And moreover the dissolution of this Parliament was ascribed tho' perhaps wrongfully to the advice of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Archbishop Laud beset by the Rabble in his House at Lambeth so that on the ninth of May a Paper was posted upon the Old Exchange by one John Lilburn exciting the Apprentices to rise and rifle his House at Lambeth on Monday following of which he having notice made provision against them for his own defence and many of them upon enquiry having been actors therein were apprehended and imprison'd in the White Lyon in Southwark but within three days after some of their Complices got together and came to the Prison and brake it open and set them free yet nevertheless one of the chief Ringleaders was Taken Arraigned Condemned and Drawn Hanged and Quartered on the 21 of May. This Convention was not more unhappily dissolved The Convocation fitteth than another was continued that is as a witty Gentleman said well A new Synod made of an old Convocation which by new Commissions from the King were impowered to sit still the Impulsives to it are very easily collected from what resulted from it as you read more at large in the aforesaid Author Pape 189. The Parliament being blown away without affording any thing in nature of a supply to the Kings wants All the wheels of the Prerogative are put into motion to carry on the War against Scotland First the City of London were invited to a Loan then all Knights and Gentlemen who held Lands in Capite of the King were summoned to send Men Horses and Arms agreeable to their abilities In September the Lords Mandevil and Edward Howard delivered to the King at York this Petition To the King 's Most Excellent Majesty The humble Petition of Your Majesties most Loyal and most Obedient Subjects whose names are underwritten in behalf of themselves and divers others Most Gracious Soveraign THe Zeal of that Duty and Service which we owe to your Sacred Majesty and our earnest affections to the good and welfare of this your Realm of England have moved us in all humility to beseech your Royal Majesty to give us leave to offer to your Princely wisdom the apprehension which we and others your faithful Subjects have conceived of the great distempers and dangers now threatning the Church and State and your Royal Person and of the fittest means by which they may be removed and prevented The evils and dangers which your Majesty may be pleased to take notice of are these viz. I. That your Majesties Sacred Person is exposed to hazard and danger in the present Expedition against the Scotish Army and by occasion of this War Your Majesties Revenue is much wasted your Subjects with Coat and conduct Money Billetting of Souldiers and other Military Charges and divers Rapines and Disorders committed in several parts of this your Realm by the Souldiers raised for that Service and your whole Kingdom become full of fears and discontents II. The sundry Innovations in matter of Religion the Oath and Canons lately imposed upon the Clergy and other your Majesties Subjects III. The great increase of Popery and the Employing of Popish Recusants and others ill affected to the Religion by Laws Established in places of Power and Trust especially in commanding of Men and Arms both in the Field and sundry Counties of this your Realm whereas by Law they are not permitted to have any Arms in their own Houses IV. The great mischiefs which may fall upon this Kingdom if the intententions which have been credibly reported of bringing in Irish and Foreign Forces should take effect V. The urging of Ship-money and prosecution of some Sheriffs in the Star-Chamber for not levying of it VI. The heavy charge upon Merchandize to the discouragement of Trade the multitude of Monopolies and other Patents whereby the Commodities and Manufactures of the Kingdom are much burthened to the great and universal grievance of your People VII The great grief of your People and Subjects by long intermission of Parliaments and the late and former Dissolving of such as have been called without the happy effects which otherwise they might have produced For remedy whereof and prevention of the Dangers that may arise to your Royal Person and to the whole State they do in all humility and faithfulness beseech your Most Excellent Majesty that you would be pleased to Summon a Parliament within some convenient time whereby the causes of these and other great Grievances which your People lie under may be taken away and the Authors and Counsellors of them may be brought to such legal and condign punishment as the nature of their several offences shall require And that the present War may be composed by your Majesty's wisdom without Blood in such manner as may conduce to the Honour and Safety of your Majesties Person the the comfort of your People and the uniting of both your Realms against the Common