by Mr. Pim was agreeable to the sense of the House and that they had received divers advertisements concerning severall persons who had obtained His Majesties immediate Warrant for the passing into Ireland since the Order of restraint of both Houses some of which as they had been informed since their comming into Ireland had joyned with the Rebels and been Commanders amongst them and some others had been staid and were yet in safe custody the Names of whom they set downe being all in custody and said the particular Names of others they had not yet received but doubted not but upon examination they might be discovered But they said they believed it was by the procurement of some evill Instruments too near His royall Person without His Majesties knowledge and intentions The King hereupon replied That the persons named to be under restraint made not good the assertion in that speech besides that their Passes were granted by His Majesty at His being in Scotland long before the restraint and being persons of whose good affections there was then no suspition and that he was most assured that no such person as was comprehended under that Charge had passed by His Warrant or privity and then He desired His House of Commons to consider whether such a generall information and advertisement in which there was not so much as the Name of any particular person mentioned be ground enough for such a direct and positive affirmation as was made in that Speech which in respect of the place and person and being acknowledged to be agreeable to the sense of the House was of that authority that His Majesty might suffer in the affections of many of His good Subjects and fall under a possible construction considering many scandalous Pamphlets to such a purpose of not being sensible enough of that Rebellion so horrid and odious to all Christians by which in this distraction such a danger might possibly insue to His Majesties Person and Estate as He was well assured his House of Commons would use their utmost endevours to prevent and therefore His Majesty said He expected that they should name those persons who by his Licence had passed into Ireland and were there in the head of the Rebels or that if upon their examination they did not find particular evidence to prove that aspersion as His Majesty was confident they never could as that affirmation which did reflect upon His Majesty was very publick so they would publish such a Declaration whereby that mistake might be discovered His Majesty being most tender in that particular which had reference to Ireland as being most assured that he had been and was from his Soule resolved to discharge his duty which God would require at his hands for the relief of his poore Protestant Subjects there and the utter rooting out that Rebellion It was above a Month before the King could receive any other Answer from them and then they said that they had affirmed nothing but what they had cause to believe was true and presented some of their grounds to His Majesty one of which was that those Licences granted to the persons under restraint were apt to produce such an effect as was mentioned in that positive affirmation and another ground was that His Majesty could not be assured that no other did passe upon his Licence and they had cause to believe that some did because they received such generall Information which reasons with some other of the same kind they said they hoped would be sufficient to perswade His Majesty to believe that as they had some cause to give credit to the said Informations so they had no intention to make any ill use of them to His Majesties dishonour but did impute the blame to his Ministers The King replied again to that Message That there was nothing yet declared that would be a ground for what Mr. Pim had so boldly affirmed for yet there was not any particular person named that was so much as in rebellion much lesse in the head of the Rebels to whom His Majesty had given Licence and therefore He expected that the House of Commons should publish such a Declaration whereby that mistake might be cleared Since that time to the houre of the publishing this Declaration they have never made the least addresse or given the least information or satisfaction to His Majesty in that particular which they then said they had no intention to make use of to his dis-honour so that this last presumption could proceed only from a confidence that the people would believe what they said not examine the truth of it What they mean by the Commanders and Officers whom the King they say called off from their trust against the Rebels and Ships from their guards at Sea that so the Rebels might be supplied with forain aides is not understood except by the Ships they meane those under the command of Captain Kittleby and Captaine Stradling who then attended the Irish Coast when all his Majesties Fleet was seized by the two Houses and imployed against Him and whom His Majesty upon that occasion and confidence of the Loyalty of the Commanders required to attend Him with their Ships about Newcastle or the North of England that He might have two of his owne Ships at his disposall and at the same time that any inconvenience might be prevented by the comming of supply to the Rebels His Majesty gave notice to the two Houses of his command in that particular and required them to take care for the guarding of that Coast which they altogether neglected notwithstanding that they found meanes likewise to seize those two Ships which His Majesty hoped He should have been possessed of Nor is it better understood what they mean by supplies from the Earle of Antrim and Lord Aboyne or of Armes and Ammunition from the King's Magazines or from the Queen which no sober man believes or of which no evidence or instance hath so much as been offered Some few Suits of clothes in the beginning of the War were taken by the Kings Souldiers about Coventry when that City was in open Rebellion which they pretended were prepared for Ireland and which His Majesty did what could be done to cause to be restored but it was not possible and was apparently their fault that would not send for a safe conduct when they were to passe through His Majesties Quarters And how far the King was from consenting to or approving that Action appears by His Majesties expresse Command which was executed accordingly for the transporting into Ireland of three thousand Suites of cloths which He found provided for that Service at Chester after his Majesty was possessed of that City and which had been neglected to be sent and which no necessity of His own Army could prevaile with Him to seize or divert from that necessary use for which they were provided His Maty never denied any Pieces of Battery desired by the Councell
at the same time incensed against the Duke in their Impeachment or Remonstrance against him thought fit to insert the giving of that Drink and applying that Plaister which was all that was mentioned in that Pamphlet concerning King James as a transcendent presumption in the Duke as is set forth in this Declaration If they had been ingenuous they would likewise have set forth the Duke's answer to that Clause and then the people would have understood that there was nothing administred to the King without the privity of the Physitians and His own importunate desire and Command the applications being such as unlearned people upon observation and experience in those known and common Diseases believe to do much good and the learned acknowledge can doe no hurt And the Parliament continued above a Week after that Answer was put in and no one person appeared in that time to offer the least evidence concerning that Clause and the King might very well in justice to the honour of a faithfull Servant discharge His owne knowledge to free him from so horrible an imputation And after the dissolution of that Parliament all imaginable care was taken to examine the grounds and to discover the Authours of that Suggestion And it is known the miserable wretch who raised the Scandal with great penitence afterwards acknowledged his Villany and died with the horrour of his guilt In the year following there was another Parliament summoned which continued and sate many Months together before the Dukes death and which was not more devoted to him then the former had been where those two Gentlemen mentioned in the Declaration bore great sway and were nothing reconciled to the Duke or the Court yet in all their Remonstrances not the least word of that aspersion all men believing and knowing it to be the most groundlesse that could be imagined After the beginning of this Parliament when the licence of Talking and Preaching seditiously was introduced it was whisper'd amongst some of the chief Agents for the confusion which hath since followed that they would examine the matter of the Death of King James and shortly after the businesse of the five Members when the King was at Windsor and the two Houses governed so absolutely This Pamphlet written so long since by Eglisham was printed and publickly sold in Shops and about the Streets and a very powerfull person of that Faction with some seeming trouble in his countenance told one of the Secretaries of State that many took the liberty abroad to discourse too boldly of the Death of King James and that he would send one to him a Clergy man who could give him a particular information of it the same night the man came to him who told him that there was a Papist who lived about London or in the nearest part of Surrey who reported that he could prove that King James was poysoned the Secretary required the Informer to attend him at an houre the next day and early in the morning assembled the Privy Councell acquainted them with the Information and the Informer and desired their Lordships advice and opinions what should be done upon it the most of them were very shy in the matter and he who had first spoken of it and sent the Informer seemed wonderfully troubled that it was Communicated so publickly by which it was evident he had in the intimation some Designe either upon that Honourable Person or his Master of which he hoped to have made another use The Secretary immediately after he had received the intelligence sent an Expresse to His Majesty with the account and that he intended forthwith to impart it to the Councell since it was no hard matter to guesse what was meant by those who were privy to it and therefore desired His further pleasure upon it and finding the swaying part of the Councell at that time unwilling to meddle in it he expected the King's Command and in the mean time only sent a Warrant to apprehend that Papist which could not be done without the diligence and advice of the Informer who only knew where he was and whom he required to assist The same or the next day the King returned His positive and expresse Command That the Lords of His Councell should use all possible Industry and diligence in the examination and leave no way unattempted for the full discovery which Command was immediately delivered by the Secretary to their Lordships who thereupon gave some directions but those Lords who desired to conceale them knowing onely who the Authors were though a formall Order was given for the enquiry no further discovery was made or any avowed Discourse of it till this Declaration It being then said privately amongst themselves that the time was not yet come that they might make use of that matter This is too much to be said upon the occasion of this most impossible Calumny and Scandall which hath never nor can make impression upon any sober honest understanding except to beget a horrour against the Contrivers of it And all true English hearts will so far resent it as to expresse a detestation of the Authours who being drunk with the bloud they have spilt and confounded with the sense of their own wickednesse have by this last impotent Act declared that they are at the bottome of their malice and that by the just judgment of God their wits are as near an end as their Allegiance and that they have no other stock left but of despaire and madnesse to carry them through their impious undertakings 4. The next reproach is the businesse of Rochel and that His Majesty let divers of the Navy Royall and other Merchant Ships to be imployed against those whom he was engaged to have assisted and the King's Letter to Captain Penington which they say they can shew under his own hand and that hereby Rochel was betrayed Though the age quality and education of most of those who consented to this Declaration will not admit a Supposition that they knew much of the transaction of this matter yet there are some amongst them who might well have remembred that there was only one Ship of the Navy Royall the Vantguard lent by His Majesty to the French King and that the same was returned long before Rochel was besieged and neer if not full two years before it was rendered and therefore it would not be very easie to prove that it was lost much lesse betrayed by that Action or that the Ships were imployed against those whom His Majesty was engaged to have assisted But because much unskilfull discourse hath been of this Argument to the prejudice of the King and many wel-meaning people have been too credulous in it without considering that Actions of that nature between great Princes are grounded upon deep reasons of State above the apprehension of vulgar understandings and that the King upon this new alliance having at the same time a Warre with Spaine had great reason to gratifie France in all
offices of friendship It may be worth the labour briefly to set down the truth of that matter and the proceedings thereupon About the time of His Majesties Marriage with the Queen the French King had many designes upon Italy and a particular difference and contest with the States of Genoa and upon conclusion of that Treaty and renewing the antient League and amity confirmed strengthned by this Marriage His Majesty was content to lend the Vantguard and to give licence that six or seven Merchant Ships might be hired if the Owners were willing to serve the French King in the Mediterranean Sea and upon a precise promise that they should not be imployed against those of the Religion in France Accordingly the Vantguard and no other Vessell of the Navy Royall was delivered and the Merchants Ships likewise hired by the French Agents with the full consent of the Owners One of which or one by their nomination Commanded each Ship and carried the same into France and there themselves delivered the Ships into the possession of the French After these Ships were thus engaged in the French service and joyned to their Fleet in which were 20 Ships of Warre likewise borrowed of the Hollanders commanded by Hauthaine the Admirall and Dorpe his Vice-Admirall who it is very probable nor their Masters were privy or consenting to that enterprize and with which they were much superiour to those of the Religion though the English Ships had been away they fell upon the Rochel Fleet and took and destroyed many of them The King was no sooner informed of this then he highly resented it by His Ambassadour and the French King excused it upon those of the Religion who He Alleaged had without cause broken the peace the Duke of Subese having when all was quiet seized all the French Ships at Blauet which very Ships made the best part of the Fleet he had now incountred and broken And that the King of England ought to be sensible of the injury the peace thus broken having been made and consented to by the French King upon His Majesties earnest mediation and interposition Notwithstanding which His Majesty justly incensed that His Ships should be imployed contrary to His pleasure and the promise made to Him immediatly required the restitution of His and all the English Ships the which was no sooner made then to publish to the world how much He was displeased with that Action He entred into Hostility with France the chief ground of that quarrell being that the English Ships had been imployed against those of the Religion contrary to the expresse promise made that they should not be used against them as appears as well by the Manifest of the Duke of Buckingham dated 21 July and printed since this Parliament as by the Records of State of that time Let the world now judge with what colour the losse of Rochel which as is said before hapned not till neer or full two years after the return of the English Ships can be imputed to the King 5. The fifth Article is the designe of the Germane-Horse Loanes Privy Seales Coat and Conduct mony Ship-mony and the many Monopolies all which are particularly mentioned in the first Remonstrance of the House of Commons of the 15 of December 1642. as the effects of evill Counsellours and with a Protestation in that Petition which accompanied it to His Majesty that it was without the least intention to lay a blemish upon His Majesties Royall Person but only to represent how His Royall Authority and trust had been abused And finding that the vile language and aspersions which they cast upon the King were generally censured and ill spoken of The Lords and Commons afterwards in their Declaration of the 19 of May tell the people that if they should say that all the ill things done of late in His Majesties name have been done by Himself they should neither follow the direction of the Law nor the affection of their owne hearts which they say is as much as may be to clear His Majesty of all imputation of misgovernment and to lay the fault upon His Ministers and then finding fault with those who make His Majesty the Authour of evill Counsels they use these words We His Majesties loyall and dutifull Subjects can use no other Stile according to that Maxime of the Law The King can doe no wrong but if any ill be committed in matter of State the Councell if in matters of Iustice the Judges must answer for it So that if they would guide themselves either by the good old or their own new laws from which in truth they swerve no lesse then from the other they have themselves answered and declared against this Article but since that is not currant examine the particulars The time when this designe is supposed to have been was when His Majesty had a War with the two greatest Kings of Christendome France and Spaine and therefore if He had purposed to have drawn auxiliary Forces into His Service it had been no wonder nor more then all Princes use yet in truth there was never any designe to bring in Germane Horse only in those unquiet times when the Kingdom was so much threatned from abroad amongst other expedients for strength and defence such a proposition was made or rather some discourse upon it which the King rejected and did never consent that it should be put in practice and therefore it may seem strange that this designe should be now objected against His Majesty who alone refused and hindred it and that Balfore and Dalbiere who were the principall if not the only Projectors of it should be in such high reputation and esteem with the Declarers The Loanes Privy Seales and other courses of raising Money were upon extraordinary and immergent occasions and of the same nature that have been in all times practiced upon reason and necessity of State And Monopolies are weeds that have alwaies grown in the fat soile which long peace and plenty makes and of that kind they may find a larger Catalogue in their Journall book of the 43 year of Queen Elizabeth a time that no sober man complaines of then in any time since and which was not then nor reasonably can be imputed to the Crowne since new inventions have justly so great encouragements and priviledges by the Law that if those Ministers through whose hands such grants are to passe are not very vigilant it is not possible but upon specious pretences many things unwarrantable of that nature will have the countenance of the Kings hand yet those particulars were no sooner complained of to His Ma ty then He willingly applied the remedies w ch were proposed before these troubles began passed such excellent laws for the prevention of the like inconveniences for the future that a better security cannot be provided So that men must think this Rebellion to have been raised on the behalf of not against those exorbitances which
without it could never probably have been again exercised in this Kingdome And here the people cannot enough observe and wonder that these grievances should in this manner be objected against the King who removed and abolished them in a time when and by those who have renued and improved the same and introduced new vexations upon His Subjects in an illimited manner and intolerable proportion That They should complain of a designe of bringing in German Horse to enslave us which if any such designs were by the goodnesse of the King was frustrated and rejected who have actually brought in an Army of all Rations upon us and have no pretence of continuing it but that they may subdue us dissolve the Government of the Kingdome and make us Slaves to their own passions and appetite That They should remember the King of inforced Loanes Privy Seales Coat and Conduct mony who since the same have been abrogated by Him have by their Ordinance compelled men to lend the Fifth and the Twentieth part of their Estates for the maintenance of their Armies that fifth and twentieth part to be rated according to such proportion as certain persons named by them shall assesse and if any person shall refuse to pay the mony so assessed upon him then Collectors shall leavy it by distresse and for want of distresse he shall be committed to prison with such circumstances of severity and uncharitablenesse as were never exercised by any Royall Command That They should complaine of the ingrossing of Gunpowder in which His Majesty did nothing but what by His legall Prerogative He might do who by their Ordinance of the 3 of April 1644. for the making of Salt-peter and by the other of the 7 of Febr. 1645. for making Gun-powder have established all those clauses in His Majesties Commission of which there was any colour of complaint to Projectors of their owne with so much worse circumstances as the jurisdiction their Committees exercise to whom appeales are to be made is more grievous chargeable and insupportable then that was of the Councell Table That They should mention the Patent of Wine which was to pay forty Shillings upon the Tun to His Majesty when by the Ordinance of the 22 of July 1643. they have laid an imposition upon it of six pounds over and above all Customes and by the Ordinance of the 9 of October following have authorized the Vintners to sell it at as great and some at greater prices then was ever tolerated during the time of His Majesties imposition Lastly to omit the other particulars of Salt Allum Tobacco and the rest upon every one of which they have by their particular Ordinances laid much heavier taxes then was thought of in those times that they should reproach the King with the Ship mony which by their own computation came not to above 200000l by the year as the compendium of all oppression and slavery for which His Majesty had a judgment in a Court of Law before all the Judges of England and which was alwaies leavied by the due formes of Law and which His Majesty when He was informed of the injustice of it frankly quitted and did His best to pull it up by the roots that no branch of it may hereafter grow up to the disquiet of His people when themselves have almost ever since by that one Ordinance of the 1 of March 1642. imposed a Weekly tax upon the Kingdome of three and thirty thousand five hundred and eighteen pounds which in the year amounts to no lesse then one million seven hundred forty two thousand nine hundred and odde pounds to which they have since added by their Ordinance of the 18 of October 1644. for the relief of the Brittish Army in Ireland a Weekly tax upon the Kingdome of three thousand eight hundred pounds w ch in the year comes to one hundred ninety seven thousand six hundred odde pounds as much as ever Ship mony arose to over and above Free-quarter and all their other Orders for Sequestration and twentieth part and the cruell circumstances in the executing those and all other Ordinances against the irregular doing whereof they will allow no Appeale to the Judges though of their own making but reserve the intire Connusance and direction to themselves It is pity that parenthesis of the Spanish Fleet with a great Army therein brought into the Downes 1639. of which out of their goodnesse they say they will say nothing should receive no Answer That having been often unskilfully spoken of as it is now insinuated as a designe against England whereas they who know any thing know that Fleet was bound from Spaine to Flanders with mony to pay their Army and new leavied Souldiers to recruit it of which there was the greater number because it was purposed to carry many old Soldiers from thence to Catalonia but all those Souldiers in the Fleet were without Armes and without Officers and the Fleet so far from being provided for an invasion that in a little Fight with the Hollanders before the winde brought them into the Downes they had so near spent their Powder that they had a supply for their mony from London which the King could not in honour and justice deny the Hollanders themselves offering them what Powder they wanted for ready mony 6. Next follows the torture our bodies heretofore suffered by whipping cutting off Eares Pillories and the like with close imprisonment aggravated with the Dominion exercised over our Soules by Oathes Excommunications new Canons c. by which they would have it concluded that His Majesties Government was full of cruelty and oppression It is an undeniable evidence of the excellent Government Sobriety and obedience of that time that there were not above six infamous persons from the beginning of His Majesties Reigne to the first day of this unhappy Parliament who were publickly taken notice of to have merited those corporall punishments and shame and of the mercy of that time that those suffered no greater there being not one of them who was not guilty of sedition to that degree that by the Law they were liable to heavier judgments then they underwent And for the Oathes Excommunications Ceremonies and Canons they were no other and no otherwise exercised then was agreeable to the Laws and the Government established Of and for which the Sects Schismes and Heresies the dissolutenesse profanenesse and impiety which have followed that since blessed Order hath bin discountenanced and suppressed hath made a fuller and more sensible Vindication then any discourse can doe And here the people will again take notice that these Judgments and proceedings which alwaies passed in due form of Law in Courts of Justice and in which no innocent man can pretend to have suffered are objected against the King by those who without any colour of jurisdiction but what themselves have assumed and usurped in stead of inflicting any ordinary punishment take away the lives of their fellow
Law is as well known neither did He deny His royall assent to any one Bill till after He was by force Tumults driven from White Hall and after he had indeed consented to whatsoever could be honestly asked of Him for the security and benefit of the Kingdome 11. The Queen is too near His Majesty not to bear a part and a share with Him in these calumnies and therefore Her designe to advance Popery is remembred and Her observing a Popish Fast with Secretary Windebanks going beyond Sea by His Majesties Passe after He was questioned by the House of Commons What that designe of Her Majesty was for the advancement of Popery is not particularly mentioned and therefore no Answer can be given to it and having expressed so much undutifulnes malice to Her Majesty throughout the whole course of their Rebellion it is not probable they have concealed any thing they could lay to Her charge For the Fast observed by Her it is well known that the time of it was when the King was in the Field and his Person liable to much danger which piety and devotion was very agreeable to Her goodnesse and exemplar affection towards her Husband And the Kingdome would think it self abundantly blessed if the Fasts since observed by these men had produced no worse effects then that did w ch was observed by her M ty For S. Windebanke the House of Cōmons had it in their power to have proceeded against him to have prevented his escape he being in the House and according to order withdrawn into the Committee Chamber after the report was made and after as much appeared against him as was ever objected or discovered afterwards but the House contrary to custome rose without proceeding upon it and therefore His Majesty might very well give him leave to dispose of himself And the truth is they by whom the House was then guided were best pleased with his absence and purposely declined the proceeding against him when he was in their hands thinking it easier to procure his place for one of their principall Members to whom they had designed it upon the advantage of his flight then if he had staid to abide his Triall which for many reasons they would not have thought fit to hasten or to proceed in 12. The Allegations of Commissions given to Popish Agents for private leavies except they intend the Collections made amongst the Papists of money for the Kings expedition into the North which was likewise amongst and no lesse liberally complied with by the Lords of the Privy Counsell and the other Protestants of the best quality throughout the Kingdom or that the Papists began to rise and arme themselves in the Northwest of England and Wales the raising Soldiers under pretence for Portugal and the seizing of the Tower are so stale vaine and ridiculous that though upon the first contrivance of them the fame served the turn of the Contrivers mens observation and knowledge having since informed them that there was nothing like either of them there needs no further Answer to them 13. The next Article is the great Caball for bringing up the Northerne Army to over-awe the Parliament the chief part of which they can prove they say to come from Himself to the maine Actors though the King did so often and solemnly dis-avow it as nothing but loose discourses of a modest Petition which also vanished two or three Months he saith before they knew of it They doe well to except against the Kings positive denying it when they have onely their owne confident and positive affirming it for proof but they had need suppresse and burn all His Majesties Declarations and Answers in which He hath abundantly satisfied the world in this particular as well as they restrain His Person and as they have concealed all those Depositions taken by themselves in this Argument which would manifest clearly that there was no such designe by His Majesty so they need recall all those they have already published if they desire to have that designe believed The King in His Answer to the Declaration presented to Him at Newmarket uses these words We cannot without great indignation suffer Our self to be reproached to have intended the least force or threatning to Our Parliament as the being privy to the bringing up the Army would imply whereas We call God to witnes We never had any such thought or knew of any such resolution concerning Our late Army And afterwards His Majesty in His Declaration of the 12 of August a Declaration that never was offered to be Answered at large set forth all He ever knew of that businesse or which upon exact inquiry He could imagine to be in it by which it plainly appears that some Officers of the Army of very good and confessed reputation for their affection to their Country observing the strange Petitions every day presented to the House of Commons against the established Laws and Government of the Kingdome and the unlawfull manner in the delivering those Petitions by thousands of disorderly persons in Tumults supposed that a Petition of a most modest and dutifull nature from the whole Army for the composing and setling all grievances in the Church and State by Law might for the reason of it prevaile with the whole House and coming from such a body might confirm those who might be shaken with any fears of power or force by the Tumults and His Majesty being made acquainted with this proposition gave his full approbation to it which He had great reason to do since as there was notable industry used to corrupt His Army and to make it applicable to the ill purposes then resolved on so pains was taken to perswade the people that it was in truth very indevoted to the King and ready to serve the Parliament any way it should direct And as His Majesty saies if in the managery of this debate any rash discourses hapned of bringing up the Army it is evident whether they were proposed in earnest or no that they were never entertained and the whole matter was laid aside above two Months before any discovery so that that danger was never prevented by the power or wisdome of Parliament It appears by the evidence and Depositions published by themselves by the Order of the 19 of May 1642. together with that Declaration that this dangerous Plot began without the least privity of the Kings upon some Officers taking offence dis-like that of fifty thousand pounds Ordred for payment of the Kings Army ten thousand pounds was taken by an after Order out of that summe to satisfie a new motion and importunity from the Scots and that those Officers upon that distast discoursed that they were disobliged by the Parliament and not by the King and thereupon concluded to tender their Services to His Ma ty in all things honourable and agreeable to the fundamentall Laws of the Kingdome That in debates afterwards together
which might get credit amongst some desired that they might have twenty Proclamations sent over signed by the King's signe Manuall to the end that besides the printed Copies which they would disperse according to custome they might be able to send an Originall with the King's hand to it to those considerable persons whom they might suspect to be misled by that false rumour who when they saw the King 's very hand would be without excuse if they persisted This Letter and desire from the Lords Justices and Councell was communicated at the Councel Board and the resolution there taken that they should have double the number they desired signed by the King and because the ingrossing so many Copies would take up more time directions were given for the printing forty Copies all which were signed by His Majesty and with all possible speed dispatched into Ireland and the caution that there should be no more printed then were sent away thither was very necessary left the Rebels by having notice of it should find some device to evade the end for which they were sent and be prepared to defend their old or raise some new scandall upon His Majesty besides that there was no imaginable reason why any more should at that time be printed in London What was written from Court to the Lord Muskery that His Majesty was well pleased with what He did cannot reflect upon His Majesty nor had the person who is supposed to have written such a Letter whom they have in former Declarations declared to be the Lord Dillon who expresly denied the ever writing any such Letter any place or relation at Court and the King had good reason long after to write to the Marquesse of Ormond to give particular thanks to Muskery and Punket They having bin both at Oxford imployed by the Irish to His Majesty during the Cessation and having made there such professions of their endeavours to reduce the other to reason as might merit His Majesties thank and acknowledgment which His Majesty hath been as forward to give to such of the Rebels here as have expressed any moderation or inclination to return to their obedience and yet He was never well pleased with what they have done nor can give them thanks for it For the delaying and detaining the Earle of Leicester beyond all pretence from going against the Rebels it is wel known how often his Majesty pressed the Houses that he might be dispatched and sent away and that it was one of the reasons which His Majesty gave in His Answer to the Petition of both Houses of the 28. of April of His resolution to go in Person into Ireland because the Lord Lieutenant on whom He relied principally for the Conduct and managing of affairs there was still in this Kingdome notwithstanding His earnestnesse expressed that He should repair to his Command after which it was neer three Months before any preparation was made for his journey and then about the end of July or beginning of August his Lordship came to the King at Yorke to receive his instructions pretending to have his dispatch so fully from the two Houses that he would return no more thither but as soon as he could have His Majesties Command he would immediately to Chester and imbarke This being about the time that the King was preparing Forces for His defence against the Earle of Essex the Earle was detained about a Month before he could receive his instructions and all those dispatches that were necessary and then he took his leave of His Majesty with profession of going directly to Chester but either by command or inclination that purpose was quickly altered and his Lordship returned to London where he was detained full two Months longer and then was Commanded expresly by the Houses to repair to Chester and not to wait on the King in his way though His Majesty being then at Oxford he could not avoid performing that duty but by avoiding the ordinary road when the King heard of his being at Chester where he expected the Ships that were to transport him above three Weeks and that there was no other force in readiness to be sent with him but his own retinue those Regiments of Foot and Troups of Horse which had been raised for that Service having been imployed against His Majesty at Edge-hill and being still kept as a part of the Earle of Essex his Army and that there were none of those provisions or mony to be now sent over which had been importunately desired by the Councell of that Kingdome His Majesty considered that the Rebels having been kept in some awe with the apprehension of the Lord Lieutenant's comming over with all such supplies as were necessary to carry on the War the assurance whereof had likewise kept up the spirits of the Protestants there if he should now arrive there in so private a manner without any addition of a strength or provision for the supply of that strength that was there it would bring at the same time the greatest affliction and dis-heartning to his Protestant Subjects that could be imagined and an equall incouragement to the Rebels and therefore His Majesty sent for him to Oxford till he might receive better satisfaction from the Houses concerning their preparations for that Kingdom So that by whom the Earle of Leicester was delaied and detained the world may judge The Kings refusall of a Commission for the Lord Brooke and Lord Wharton hath been long since Answered by His Majesty the truth of which Answer was never yet denied or replied to That the Forces to be under their Command were raised before His Majesties Commission was so much as desired And then the Commission that was desired should have been independent upon His Majesties Lieutenant of that Kingdome and therefore His Majesty had great reason not to consent to it And how reasonably those persons were to be trusted with such a Command may be judged by their bringing those very Forces which were raised for the relief of the poor Protestants of Ireland against the Rebels there to fight against the King at Edge-hill within a very short time after those Commissions were desired They say they have long since named divers Papists and persons of quality that by the Kings speciall Warrants after the Ports were shut by both Houses of Parliament passed hence and headed the Rebels when they wanted Commanders Examine the truth of this which all men who will take the pains may be judges of His Majesty taking notice of the effect of this Charge to be spoken by Master Pim at a Conference with the Lords about the beginning of February 1641. the Speech being printed by His Message of the 7. of that Month to the House of Commons required to know whether such a thing had been said and if so upon what ground His Majesty being sure He had used all caution in the granting of Passe-ports into Ireland The Commons answered that the Speech delivered
of Ireland nor is there the least colour to affirm the same what directions the Rebels give in their Letters of Mart or whether they gave any such directions as are alleaged is no way materiall as to His Majesty and for Officers and Commanders who left their trust against the Rebels it is sufficiently known that the Earle of Leven who by His Majesties consent was sent Generall of the Scots into Ireland against the Rebels was called from thence to lead an Army into England against His Majesty and when the King's Commissioners at the Treaty at Uxbridge alleaged and complained that many Officers both Scots and English had in the beginning of that War left that Service and been entertained by the two Houses against the King all the Answer they could receive was That they were not sent for This being the case as without any possibility of contradiction it is these Gentlemen had no more reason to believe the Rebels when they did so often swear they did nothing without good authority and Commission from the King then the Rebels had to believe them when they swore on the 22. of October 1642. That no private passion or respect no evill intention to His Majesties person nor designe to the prejudice of His just honour and authority engaged them to raise Forces and the next day gave His Majesty battle at Edge-hill Nor is it more materiall that Sir Phelim Oneale would not be perswaded that Generall Laesly had any authority from the King against the Rebels then that these Gentlemen should be perswaded in the same houre to believe that an Army should be raised for the safety of the King's person and to sweare that they would live and die with the Earl of Essex whom they nominated Generall to lead that Army against the King What information was given divers Months before to the Archbishop and others of the Kings Councel of a designe amongst the Papists for a generall Massacre of all the Protestants in Ireland and England c. is no objection against the King and as the Archbishop was imprisoned divers Months before that Rebellion brake out so it is not like if they had been able to have charged Him with any concealment that they would have forborn accusing him with it at his Triall when they so much wanted evidence against him that they were faine to make his Chaplains not licencing such Books against Popery as they thought did discredit the Protestant cause an Argument of his Treason and they would likewise now have named the others of the King's Counsell if they could have alleaged any matter that could have reflected upon them or their Master Next follows a huddle of the Kings Letters to the Pope when he was in Spaine and of others since on the behalfe of the Duke of Lorainge and of the King 's having an Agent at Rome which it is knowne he never had some Months before the Irish Rebellion all which are so obscurely mentioned and so ridiculous as to any charge against the King that they are not worthy any Answer yet because how impertinently soever by the licence of these times much hath been scandalously discoursed of a Letter written by the King when he was Prince and in Spaine to the Pope and such a Letter translated printed out of a Copy published in the French Mercury it may not be amisse to say somewhat of that businesse The Prince being by the command of his Father sent into Spaine to conclude a Marriage with the Daughter of that Crowne which had been long treated of could not but be obliged whilst he was there to perform all Ceremonies which were requisite to the compassing the businesse he went about The Kingdome where he was had a fast friendship with Rome and such a kind of dependence that a dispensation from thence was thought necessary by the wisdome of that State to the marriage in treaty towards the procuring whereof though the Prince would not contribute the least application of his owne yet he was not reasonably to do any thing which might make that dispensation the more difficult to be procured The Pope that then was writ a Letter to the Prince which was delivered to his Highnesse by his Minister there resident It was a Letter of respect and in the interpretation of that State of great kindnesse and it would have been thought a very unseasonable neglect if the Prince had vouchsafed it no Answer on the other hand it was easier to resolve that it was fit to write then what in the mean time they who were officious that it might be done prepared the draught of a Letter and brought it to him the which when his Highnesse had perused with his own hand he expunged those clauses which might seem to reflect upon the Religion which he professed and having so altered and mended it he caused it to be sent to the Pope Copies of the first draught were spread abroad by which that was inserted in the French Mercury which is so carefully translated and printed and dispersed these late ill years and now is given in evidence against His Majesty But admitting it were the same and that the Prince being in a forain Kingdom with the policy whereof he was then to comply had written that very Letter which is printed with what colour of reason can any man make that an Argument of his inclination to Popery who at that time and ever since hath given the greatest testimony of his affection to the Protestant Religion that any Prince or private person hath done The Authours of this Declaration would not think it just that from their very loving Letters to the Bashaw at Argyers and his to them in which He thanks God that the Agent of the Parliament of England is come thither to make a peace and love betwixt them to the end of the world as appears by the relation of that businesse fol. 15. published by their authority and from the amity with them to that Degree that they have given the Turkes men-of-war the freedome of their Harbours men should conclude that they are resolved to turn Turkes and yet such a conclusion will more naturally result from those Letters and that strict correspondence then of the King's affection to Popery from that Letter to the Pope It is said that the same designe was laid in England at the same time and that many thousands were appointed to cut the Protestants throats in this Kingdom also when the King went into Scotland and that it was confessed by some of the principall Rebels that their Popish Committee with the King had communicated that designe with many Papists in England by whose advice though some things were altered yet it was generally concluded that about the same time there should be the like proceedings of the Papists here all which if true as no sober man believes it to be does no way reflect upon the King and that Popish Committee was sent more to the
two Houses then to the King and were more owned by them who tooke speciall care for their Accommodation By what is said it sufficiently appears how unjust and unreasonable all the particular Scandals are with relation to the businesse of Ireland in which His Majesty how impudently soever He hath been aspersed never did any or omitted the doing any thing but according to those rules which are most justifiable before God and man it were to be wished that the two Houses of Parliament had but as well performed their duty and obligations but it cannot be forgotten that neer the beginning of this Rebellion when the Houses pretended wonderfull difficulty to raise men for that Service and when a seasonable supply would utterly have broken and defeated the Rebels the King sent a Message to them on the 28 of December 1641. That His Majesty being very sensible of the great miseries and distresses of His Subjects in the Kingdome of Ireland which daily increased and the bloud which had been already spilt by the cruelty and barbarousnesse of those Rebels crying out so loud and perceiving how slowly the succours designed thither went on His Majesty Himself would take care that by Commissions which He would grant ten thousand English Voluntiers should be speedily raised for that service if the House of Commons would declare that they would pay them which offer from His Majesty was rejected and no considerable supplies sent till they had compelled His Majesty to consent to such a Bill for Pressing as might devest and rob Him of a necessary and legall power inherent in His Crowne Nor can it be forgotten that they reserved those men which were raised for Ireland and would not otherwise have been engaged in their Service but on that pretence and brought them to fight against His Majesty at Edge-hill and afterwards retained them still in their Service That they imployed the mony raised by Act of Parliament for the relief of Ireland and with a particular caution that it should be imployed no other way for the support and maintenance of that Army led by the Earle of Essex against the King and that from the beginning of the Rebellion in England though they received vast sums of mony raised only for Ireland they never administred any considerable supply thither that they could apply to the advancement of their owne Designes at home against the King These particulars of which kind every man may call to mind many more nor their notable compliance with the Irish Committee when they came first over are remembred to imply that the two Houses of Parliament were guilty of raising the Rebellion in Ireland otherwise then by their principles and proceedings in diminution of the King 's soveraigne power or that they cherished it after it was begun otherwise then by not wisely and vigorously endeavouring to suppresse it before it spread so universally but that which may be justly laid to their charge is their affecting and grasping the power of carrying on that War which so great a body is not fit for their imprudent and unpolitique declaring an animosity against the whole Nation and even a purpose for their utter extirpation and disposing their Lands to those who would be adventurers for it which Act and Declaration it is known drove many into open Rebellion who were not before suspected or at least declared to be affected to the Rebels and lastly their giving all their minds up to the kindling that horrid and monstrous rebellion here rather then to the extinguishing the other in Ireland 16. Next succeeds the Charge against the King for the unusuall preparation of Ammunition and Armes upon His return from Scotland with new Guards within and about White-hall the Fire-works taken and found in Papists houses the Tower filled with New guards Granadoes and all sorts of Fire-works Morters and great pieces of Battery the dis-placing Sir William Balfore and placing other Officers who were suspected by them and the whole City Not to speak of the entertainment they provided for the King against His return out of Scotland when in stead of thanking Him for having passed so many good Acts of grace and favour to them that there was no one thing more that the Kingdome could reasonably aske from Him or requisite to make them the most happy Nation of the world They presented Him a Remonstrance as they called it of the State of the Kingdome laying before Him to use His Majesties own words and publishing to the world all the mistakes and all the mis-fortunes which hapned from His first comming to the Crowne and before to that houre forgetting the blessed condition all His Subjects had enjoyed in the benefit of peace and plenty under His Majesty to the envy of Christendome Not to speak of the licence then used in language when upon debate of some pretended breach of Order one of the principall Promoters of this Declaration publickly said in the House of Commons without controle that their Discipline ought to be severe for the enemy was in view when the King was come within one daies journey of the City His Majesty found a band of Souldiers entertained to guard the two Houses of Parliament which as it had bin never known in age before in that manner so there was not now the least visible cause for it but that there had been a Plot in Scotland against the persons of the Marquesse of Hamilton and Argyle and therefore there might be the like upon some principall Members here Upon the King's return the Earl of Essex resigned up the Commission with which he had been intrusted by His Majesty during His absence to preserve the peace of the Kingdome and thereupon that Guard which was drawn together by vertue of that authority in that Earle was dissolved with it The King came then to White-hall and for what passed afterward heare in His owne words in His Declaration of the 12. of August Great multitudes of mutinous people every day resorted to Westminster threatned to pul down the lodgings where divers of the Bishops lay assaulted some in their Coaches chased others with Boats by water laid violent hands on the Arch-bishop of Yorke in his passing to the House and had he not been rescued by force it is probable they had murdered him crying through the streets Westminster-hall and between the two Houses No Bishops no Bishops no Popish Lords and mis-used the severall Members of either House who they were informed favoured not their desperate and seditious ends proclaiming the names of severall of the Peers as evill and rotten-hearted Lords and in their return from thence made stand before Our gate at White-hall said they would have no more Porters Lodge but would speak with the King when they pleased and used such desperate rebellious discourse that We had great reason to believe Our owne Person Our Royall Consort and Our Children to be in evident danger of violence and therefore were compelled at Our
be wasted to reply to them 18. The next Charge is the Commissions granted to the Earle of Newcastle and Colonel Legg for attempting Newcastle and Hull which they say occasioned them to provide for their security to which their intelligence of forain Forces from Denmark contributed and then they take great paines to make that jealousie of Denmarke reasonable and fit to sink into them The Commissions granted by the King to the Earle of Newcastle and Colonel Legg were no other then by Law He might grant neither did He grant any such before He was assured the leading Members in the House of Commons had it in their purpose to procure an Order for the seizing that Towne and after they had caused a power to be placed about the Tower of London both by land and water under the Command of their new Officer Skippon who was required not to suffer any provisions to be brought in thither by what Authority or Warrant soever If there had been any expectation or apprehension of forain Forces to be brought from Denmarke that could be no warrant for them to seize on Hull without and against the King's leave whose peculiar jurisdiction and right it is to provide against forain Invasions but as that discourse of Forces from Denmarke was then looked upon as most ridiculous by all men of sense so experience hath since made it apparent that there was not the least colour for it And the arrivall of that Vessell with Ammunition and Armes for there came no Commanders in her near Hull was near six Months after the Houses had put a Garrison into Hull and neer three Months after Sir John Hotham had shut the Gates of it against His Majesty and if it had not been for that rebellious Act that Ammunition and Armes had not been sent The Invasion of the King of Denmark's Dominions by the Swedes was above two years after the seizing of Hull therefore that could not be any interruption to that designe if it had been intended but that a frivolous report of a discourse between a Servant of the Lord Digby's that was never named with a Mariner whom he had never seen before to conduct a Fleet into England from Denmarke or an intercepted Letter from the Hague to Secretary Nicholas which is pretended to be written the 26 of Novemb. after the Battle of Edge-hill and in which is mention of Armes for ten thousand Foot and for fifteen hundred Horse should be thought of moment to justifie a rebellious jealousie of the King's purpose of countenancing an Invasion of His owne Kingdome is below the folly and sottishnesse of any to whom satisfaction ought to be applied The imploying of Colonel Cockram to the King of Denmark was after the Rebellion was begun and when the Earl of Essex was marching with his Army against His Majesty and the principall instruction given to him was to presse that King to assist His Majesty with Mony Armes and Ammunition the two Houses having seized all which belonged to His Majesty and that the same might be sent by some Ships of that Crowne because all the King 's owne were taken from Him and lay in wait to intercept any Provision that should be sent to His Majesty and it is no wonder if the King indevoured by His instructions to His Agent to make His Uncle of Denmarke as sensible as he could of the injuries and indignities offered to His Majesty nor was that very clause with which these wicked men so insolently and rudely reproach His Majesty without good grounds it being known that they ordinarily whisper'd many things then in their private Caballs which they durst not publiquely avow of which nature were their discourses of the Death of King James which they are now grown up to the wickednesse to publish and the other which was mentioned in that instruction They say they repeat this rather because when they declared their intelligence that Cockram was sent into Denmarke to procure Forces thence the King disavowed it calling it a vile scandall in His Answer to their Decl. of the 22 of Octob. 1642. Their charge upon the King in that Declaration of the 22 of Octob. was That Sir John Henderson and Colonel Cockram men of ill report both for Religion and Honesty were sent to Hanborough and Denmarke as they were credibly informed to raise Forces there and to bring them to Newcastle and to joyne with the Earle of Newcastle c. To this the King made Answer That He had never greater cause to be confident of security in His owne Subjects and therefore He could not believe so vile a scandall could make any impression in sober men And it is known He did desire no other aide or supply at that time from Denmarke or from any of his Allies but Mony Armes and Ammunition but if He had not been confident in the security of His owne Subjects He would have been justly to be blamed if He had not endeavoured to get any forain succours to preserve Himself His Crowne and the Kingdome from being over-run and subdued by the power and strength of His rebellious Subjects In the same instructions to Cockram they say the King declared that He then expected assistance from His neighbour Princes and Allyes in particular the greatest part of the States Fleet from Holland which if it were truly set forth needs no Answer it being very reasonable that the King should have expected that all His neighbour Princes and Allyes should have assisted Him against so odious and horrid a Rebellion and it may be many of them may live to find the inconveniencie of not being sensible of the assault which hath been made upon Soveraignty especially if in stead of assisting the King they have contributed toward the oppressing the Regall power but these men are such enemies to ingenuity that in the very repeating what hath been said or done by the King they will leave out any words that will make the sense otherwise understood then fits their purpose though any man that will take the pains to examine it will quickly find the truth so they who will peruse these instructions by what means soever they came by them published by themselves will find that the King mentioned the Holland Fleet only as allowed by the States to give Her Majesty a Convoy into England which these men would have understood as lent to assist the King against His rebellious Subjects whereas it is too well known that at that time the two Houses found more respect and assistance from those States then His Majesty did and what His Majesty then said of His neighbour Princes and Allyes which they would perswade the people to relate to some present engagement from them to send Forces to Him being only grounded upon His reasonable hope of the sense those Princes would have of the indignities offered to His Majesty His words being He expects and hopes that all His neighbour Princes and Allyes will not look
as any other part of the discourse there being said only by Captain Chudleigh who it seems believed it not by His engaging Himself to the Parliament from that time as the better Pay-masters and was highly valued by them 20. It seems they take it as granted that their frivolous and malitious allegations will serve turne in stead of proofs and therefore they take the boldnesse to tax His Majesty with breach of honour and faith and to reproach Him for calling God to witnesse and making so many solemn protestations against any thought of bringing up the Northern Army or of leavying Forces to wage war with His Parliament or of bringing in forain Forces or aids from beyond the Sea which they say Himself said would not only bury the Kingdom in sudden destruction and ruine but His own name and Posterity in perpetuall scorne and infamy If these Gentlemen would deale faithfully with the world and confesse what troubles them most they would acknowledge that their grief is that the King is so punctuall and severe in keeping His word and protestations not that He is apt to fall from them If He would have practised their arts of dissembling and descended to their vile licence of promising and protesting what He never meant to think of after He might have prevented them in many of their successes but the greatnesse of His mind alwaies disdained even to prosper or be secure by any deviations from truth and honour and what He hath promised He hath been religious in observing though to His own damage and inconvenience He hath made no protestation about bringing up the Northern Army or of leavying Forces against the Parliament or for the Rights of the Subject which was not exactly true and agreeable to the Princely thoughts and resolutions of His heart The occasion of His Majesties using that expression concerning forain Force which is here remembred by them was this In the Declaration delivered to His Majesty from the two Houses at Newmarket on the 9 of March 1641. they told Him that by the manifold advertisements which they had from Rome Venice Paris and other parts they expected that His Majesty had still some great designe in hand and that the Popes Nuntio had solicited the Kings of France and Spaine to lend His Majesty four thousand men apiece to help to maintain His Royalty against the Parliament were some of the grounds of their fears and jealousies To which His Majesty made answer in these words What your advertisements are from Rome Venice Paris and other parts or what the Pope's Nuntio solicited the Kings of France or Spaine to do or from what persons such informations come to you or how the credit and reputation of such persons have been sifted and examined We know not but are confident no sober honest man in Our Kingdomes can believe that We are so desperate or so senslesse to entertain such designes as would not only bury this Our Kingdome in sudden destruction and ruine but Our name and posterity in perpetuall scorn and infamy That this Answer was most prudently and justly applied to that extravagant and senslesse suggestion cannot be doubted but because the King at that time before the War or a declared purpose in them to raise a War against Him held it an odious and infamous thing to thinke of bringing in foraine Forces upon His owne Kingdome that He might not therefore think it afterwards necessary and find it just to call in forain Succours to defend Him from a Rebellion that besides mixtures of all Nations was assisted by an intire forain Army to oppresse Him and His posterity no reasonable man can suggest or suppose and yet how far He hath been from entertaining any such aide the event declares which it may be many wise men reckon amongst His greatest errours and oversights and which no question if He had not been full of as much tendernesse and compassion towards His people as these men want He would have found no difficulty to have practised They proceed to improve this most groundlesse and unreasonable scandall by another instance that when His Majesty Himself and the Lords made a Protestation at Yorke against leavying Forces He commanded His Subjects by Proclamation to resist the Orders of the Parliament and did many other Facts contrary to that Protestation the particulars whereof are mentioned and shall be examined and answered The Act which they call a Protestation by the King the Lords at Yorke passed on the 15 day of June 1642. being six and twenty daies after both Houses had declared that the King intended to leavy war against the Parliament and thereupon published their Propositions for bringing in Money or Plate for the raising and maintaining an Army The King conceiving so positive and monstrous an averment might make some impression upon and gain credit with his people called the Peers together who attended Him and taking notice of that wicked Declaration declared to them That He alwaies had and then did abhor all such designes and desired them to declare whether being upon the place they saw any colour of preparations or counsels that might reasonably beget a belief of any such designe and whether they were not fully perswaded that His Majesty had no such intention whereupon seven and thirty Peers who then attended His Majesty being double the number that at that time or since remained in the House of Peers at Westminster unanimously declared under their hands which was published to the Kingdome that they saw not any colour of preparations or counsels that might reasonably beget the belief of any such designe and did professe before God and testifie to all the world That they were fully perswaded that His Majesty had no such intention but that all His endeavours did tend to the firm and constant setlement of the true Protestant Religion the just Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the Subject the Law Peace and prosperity of the Kingdome notwithstanding which clear evidence they made what haste they could to raise an Army and to engage the people against their Soveraigne Lord the King That His Majesty intended not by that profession on His part nor the Lords thought themselves obliged on their parts to give any countenance to or not to resist the Orders which then issued out every day from those at Westminster who called themselves the two Houses needs no other evidence then His Majesties Declaration published two daies before 13 of June in which amongst other particulars He declared to the Peers That He would not as was falsly pretended engage them or any of them in any War against the Parliament except it were for His owne necessary defence and safety against such as should insolently invade or attempt against His Majesty or such as should adhere to Him And that very day the very same Peers whereof the Earl of Salisbury was one engaged themselves to the King under their hands That they would defend
Propositions passed by the Lords for Peace which if allowed would be destructive to Religion Laws and Liberties and therefore desired an Ordinance according to the tenour of an Act of their Common Councell the night before Thanks were given by the Commons whilst the Lords complained of the Tumults and desired a concurrence to suppresse them and to prevent the like many of the people telling the Members of both Houses that if they had not a good Answer they would be there the next day with double the number by these threats and this violence the Propositions formerly received were rejected and all thoughts of Peace laid aside and then surely the freedome of Parliament was as much taken away as on the 26 of Iuly last In a word when the Members of both Houses were compelled to take that Protestation to live and die with the Earle of Essex and some imprisoned and expelled for refusing to take it when they were forced to take that sacred Vow and Covenant of the 6 of Iune 1643. by which they swore that they would to their power assist the Forces raised and continued by both Houses of Parliament against the Forces raised by the KING when they were compelled to take the last solemn League and Covenant that Oath Corban by which they conceive themselves absolved from all obligations divine and humane as their Predecessours the Jewes thought they were discharged by that though they had bound themselves not to help or relieve their Parents and lastly when the Army marched to London in the beginning of August last in favour of the Speakers and those Members who had resorted to them and brought them back to the Houses and drove away some and caused others of the Members of a contrary Faction to be imprisoned and expelled the Houses the liberty and freedome of Parliament was no lesse violated and invaded then it was on the 26 of Iuly last Upon these reasons and for want of the freedome so many severall waies taken from them those Lords and Commons who attended his Majesty at Oxford had withdrawne themselves from Westminster and might then as truly and more regularly have said what the Army since with approbation and thanks have said on the 22 of Iune last That the freedome of this Parliament is no better then that those Members who shall according to their consciences endeavour to prevent a War and act contrary to their waies who for their owne preservation intend it they must do it with the hazard of their lives which being a good reason for those lately to go to St. Albons or Hounslow heath cannot be thought lesse justifiable for the other to go to Oxford Since this objection of calling the Members of Parliament to Oxford is not of waight enough to give any advantage against his Majesty to His Enemies they endeavour to make their entertainment and usage there very reproachfull with His friends and would perswade them to believe themselves derided in that expression of the Kings in a Letter to the Queen where He calls them a Mungrell Parliament by which they infer what reward His own Party must expect when they have done their utmost to shipwrack their faith and conscience to his will and tyranny Indeed they who shipwrack their faith and conscience have no reason to expect reward from the King but those Lords and Gentlemen who attended his Majesty in that convention well know that never King received advice from His Parliament with more grace and candor then his Majesty did from them and their consciences are too good to think themselves concerned in that expression if his Majesty had not Himself taken the pains to declare to what party it related besides it is well known that some who appeared there with great professions of loyalty were but Spies and shortly after betrayed his Majesties service as Sir John Price and others in Wales and some since have alleaged in the House of Commons or before the Committee for their defence to the Charge of being at Oxford at that Assembly That they did the Parliament more service there then they could have done at Westminster So that the KING had great reason to think He had many Mungrels there 23. The last Charge is the making a Pacification in Ireland and since that a Peace and granting a Commission to bring over ten thousand Irish to subdue the Parliament and the rebellious City of London and the conditions of that peace That loud clamour against the Cessation in Ireland was so fully clearly answered by the King's Cōmissioners at the Treaty at Uxbridge that there can no scruple remain with any who have taken the pains to read the transactions in that Treaty it plainly appears that the King could not be induced to consent to that Cessation till it was evident that His Protestant Subjects in that Kingdome could not be any other way preserved The Lords Justices and Councell of that Kingdome signified to the Speaker of the House of Commons by their Letter of the 4 of April which was above six Months before the Cessation That his Majesties Army and good Subjects there were in danger to be devoured for want of needfull supplies out of England and that His Majesties Forces were of necessity sent abroad to try what might be done for sustaining them in the Country to keep them alive till supplies should get to them but that designe failing them those their hopes were converted into astonishment to behold the miseries of the Officers and Souldiers for want of all things and all those wants made insupportable in the want of food and divers Commanders and Officers declaring they had little hope to be supplied by the Parliament pressed with so great importunity to be permitted to depart the Kingdome as that it would be extreame difficult to keep them there and in another part of that Letter they expressed that they were expelling thence all Strangers and must instantly send away for England thousands of poor dispoyled English whose very eating was then insupportable to that place that their confusions would not admit the writing of many more Letters if any for they had written divers others expressing their great necessities And to the end His Majesty and the English Nation might not irrecoverably and unavoidably suffer they did desire that then though it were almost at the point to be too late Supplies of Victuall and Ammunition in present might be hastened thither to keep life untill the rest might follow there being no Victuall in the Store nor a hundred Barrels of Powder a small proportion to defend a Kingdome left in the Store when the out-Garrisons were supplied and that remainder according to the usuall necessary expence besides extraordinary accidents would not last above a Month and in that Letter they sent a Paper signed by sundry Officers of the Army delivered to them as they were ready to signe that dispatch and by them apprehended to threaten imminent danger which mentioned that