in this caâ—e came before by whose continual importunity and 〈◊〉 the breach of the Treaties followed after The King lov'd peace â—oo well to lay aside the Treaties and engage in War before he was desperate of success any other way then by that of the Sword and was assur'd both of the hands and hearts of his subjects to assist him in it And therefore ouâ— Author should have said that the King not only called together his great Councel but broke off the Treaty and not have given us here such an Hysteron Proteron as neither doth consist with reason not the truth of story ANIMADVERSIONS ON The Eleventh Book OF The Church History OF BRITAIN Containing the Reign of King Charles THis Book concludes our Authors History and my Animadverâ—â—ons And 〈◊〉 the end be 〈◊〉 unto the beginning it is like to 〈…〉 enough our Author stumbling at the Threshold 〈◊〉 â—moâ—gst superstitious people hath been 〈…〉 presage Having placed King Charles upon 〈…〉 he goes on to tell us that Fol. 117. On the fourtâ—enth 〈…〉 James his Funerals were 〈…〉 Collegiat Church at 〈…〉 but the fourth saith the 〈…〉 Reign of King Charls and 〈…〉 was on the 〈…〉 â—â—venth of May on which those solemn Obsequies were 〈…〉 Westminster Of which if he will not take my word seâ— him consult the Pamphleâ— called the 〈…〉 â—ol 6. and he shall be satisfied Our 〈…〉 muâ—â— keep time better or else we shall neveâ— know how the day goes with him Fol. 119. As for Dr. Preâ—â—on c. His party would 〈◊〉 us that he might have chose his own Mitre And 〈…〉 his party would perswade us That he had not only large parts of suâ—â—icient receipt to manage the broad 〈…〉 but that the Seal was proffered to him fol. 131. But we are not bound to believe all which is said by that party who look'd vpon the man with such a reverence as came near Idolaâ—â—y His Principles and engagements were too well known by those which governed Affairs to ventâ—â—e him â—nto any such great trust in Church or State and his activity so suspected that he would not have been long suffered to continue Preacher at Lincolns Inn. As for his intimacy with the Duke too violent to be long lasting it proceeded not from any good â—pinion which the Duke had of him but that he found how instrumental he might be to manage that prevailâ—â—g party to the Kings advantage But when it was 〈◊〉 that he had more of the Serpent in him then of the 〈◊〉 and that he was not tractable in steering the 〈◊〉 of his own Party by the Court Compass he was discountenanc'd and â—aid by as not worth the keeping He seemed the Court Mâ—reor for a while 〈◊〉 to a sâ—dden height of expectation and having 〈◊〉 and blaz'd a 〈◊〉 went out again and was as suddâ—â—nly â—oâ—gotten â—ol 119. Next day the King coming from Canterbury 〈…〉 with all solemnity she was 〈…〉 in London where a Chappel 〈…〉 her Devâ—tionâ— with a Covent 〈…〉 to the Articles of her 〈…〉 how â—ame he to be suffered to be present at 〈◊〉 in the capacity of Lord Keeper For that he did so is affirmed by our Author saying That the King took a Sâ—role of Parchment out of his bosom and gave it to the Lâ—rd 〈…〉 who read it to the Commons four sevâ—raâ— times East-West North and South fol. 123. Thirdly the Lord Keeper who read that Scrole was not the 〈◊〉 Keeper Williams but the Lord Keeper Coventry 〈◊〉 Seal being taken from the Bishop of Lincoln and 〈◊〉 to the custoâ—y of Sir Thomas Coventry in October before And therefore fourthly our Author is much ouâ— in placing both the Coronation and the following Parliament befoâ—e the change of the Lord Keeper and sending Sir Iohn Suckling to feâ—ch that Seal at the end of a Parliâ—ment in the Spring which he had brought away with him before Michaelmas Term. But as our Author was willing to keep the Bishop of Lincoln in the Deaâ—â—y of Westminster for no less then five or six years after it was confer'd on another so is he as desirous to continue him Lord Keeper for as many months after the Seal had been entrusted to another hand Fol. 122. The Earl of Arundel as Earl Marshal of 〈◊〉 and the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High Constâ—ble of England for that day went before his Majesty in that great Solemnity In this passage and the next that follows ouâ— Author shews himself as bad an Herald in marshalling a Royal shew as in stating the true time of the câ—eation of a Noble Peer Here in this place he plaâ—eth the Earl Marshal before the Constable whereas by the 〈◊〉 31 H. 8. c. 10. the Constable is to have 〈◊〉 before the Marshal Not want there Precedents to shew that the Lord High-Constable did many times direct his Mâ—ndats to the Earl Marshal as one of the Miniâ—â—ers of his Court willing and requiring him to perform such and such services as in the said Precepts were expâ—essed In the next place we are informed that Ibid. That the Kings Train being six yards long of Purple Velvet was held up by the Lord Compton and the Lord Viscount Dorcester That the Lord Compton was one of them which held up the Kings Train I shall easily grant he being then Master of the Robes and thereby châ—llenging a right to peâ—foâ—m this service But that the Lord Viscount Dorcester was the other of them I shall never grant there being no such Viscount at the time of the Coronation I cannot 〈◊〉 but that Sir Dâ—dley Carleton might be one of those which held up the Train though I am not sure of it But sure I am that Sir Dudley Carleton was not made Baron of Imber-Court till towards the latter end of the following Parliament of An. 1626 nor created Viscount Dorcester until some years after Fol. 122. The Lord Archbishop did present his Majesty to the Lords and Commons East West North South asking their mindes four several times if they did consent to the Coronation of King Charles their lawful â—overaign This is a piece of new State-doctrine never known before that the Coronation of the King and consequently his Succession to the Crown of England should depend on the consent of the Lords and Commons who were then assembled the Coronation not proceeding as he after â—elleth us till their consent was given four times by â—cclamations And this I call a piece of new State-doctrine never known before because I finde the contrary in the Coronation of our former Kings For in the form and manner of the Coronation of King Edward 6. described in the Catalogue of Honor â—et â—orth by Tho. Mills of Canterbury Anno 1610. we finde it thus The King being carried by certain Noble Courtiers in another Chair â—nto the four sides of the Stage was by the Archbishop of Canterbury declared unto the people standing round about both by Gods and mans Laws to be the right and lawâ—ul King of
Monroe an old experienced Commander with his three thousand old and experienced Scots train'd up for five or six years then last past in the Wars of Ireland By whose assistance it is possible enough that he might not have lost his first Battle not long after his Head which was took from him on the same day with the Earl of Hollands But God owed him and that Nation both shame and punishment for all their â—reacheries and Rebellions against their King and now he doth begin to pay them continuing payment after payment till they had lost the Command of their own Countrey and being reduced unto the form of a Province under the Commonwealth of England live in as great a Vassalage under their new Masters as a conquered Nation could expect or be subject to Fol. 1078. This while the Prince was put aboard the revolted Ships c. and with him his Brother the Duke of York c. the Earls of Brentford and Ruthen the Lord Cuâ—pepper c. In the recital of which names we finde two Earls that is to say the Earls of Brentford and Ruthen which are not to be found in any Records amongst our Heralds in either Kingdom Had he said General Ruthen Earl of Brentford he had hit it right And that both he and his Reader also may the better understand the Risings and Honors of this Man I shall sum them thus Having served some time in the Wars of Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden he was Knighted by him in his Camp before Darsaw a Town of Pomerella commonly counted part of Prussia and belonging to the King of Poland Anno 1627. at what time the said King received the Order of the Garter with which he was invested by Mr. Peter Yong one of his Majesties Gentlemen Huishers and Mr. Henry St. George one of the Heralds at Arms whom he also Kinghted In the long course of the German Wars this Colonel Sir Patrick Ruthen obtain'd such a Command as gave him the title of a General and by that title he attended in a gallant Equipage on the Earl of Morton then riding in great pomp towards Windsor to be installed Knight of the Garter At the first breaking out of the Scots Rebellion he was made a Baron of that Kingdom and Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh which he defended very bravely till the Springs which fed his Well were broken and diverted by continual Batteries Not long ater he was made Earl of Forth and on the death of the Earl of Lindsey was made Lord General of his Majesties Army and finally created Earl of Brentford by Letters Patents dated the 27 of May Anno 1644. with reference to the good Service which he had done in that Town for the fiâ—st hanselling of his Office So then we have an Earl of Brentford but no Earl of Ruthen either as joyn'd in the same Person or distinct in two Not much unlike is that which follows Ibid. His Commissions to his Commanders were thus stiled Charls Prince of great Britain Duke of Cornwal and Albany Here have we two distinct Titles conferred upon one Person in which I do very much suspect our Authors Intelligence For though the Prince might Legally stile himself Duke of Cornwal yet I cannot easily believe that he took upon himself the Title of Duke of Albany He was Duke of Cornwal from his Birth as all the eldest Sons of the Kings of England have also been since the Reign of King Edward the third who on the death of his Uncle Iohn of Eltham E. of Cornwal invested his eldest Son Edw. the Black Prince into the Dukedom of Cornwal by a Coronet on his head a ring on his finger and a silver Verge in his hand Since which time as our learned Camden hath observed the King of Englands eldest Son is reputed Duke of Cornwal by Birth and by vertue of a special Act the first day of his Nativity is presumed and taken to be of full and perfect age so that on that day he may sue for his Livery of the said Dukedom and ought by right to obtain the same as well as if he had been one and twenty years old And he hath his Royalties in certain Actions and Stannery Matters in Wracks at Sea Customs c. yea and Divers Officers or Ministers assigned unto him for these or such like matters And as for the Title of Duke of albany King Charls as the second Son of Scotland receiv'd it from King Iames his Father and therefore was not like to give it from his second Son the eldest Son of Scotland being Duke of Rothsay from his Birth but none of them Dukes of Albany for ought ever I could understand either by Birth or by Creation Fol. 1094. And so the dignity of Arch-Bishops to fall Episcopal Iurisdiction also Our Author concludes this from the general words of the Kings Answer related to in the words foregoing viz. That whatsoever in Episcopacy did appear not to have clearly proceeded from Divine Institution he gives way to be totally abolished But granting that the Dignity of Arch-Bishops was to fall by this Concession yet the same cannot be affirmed of the Episcopal Iurisdiction which hath as good Authority in the holy Scripture as the calling it self For it appears by holy Scripture that unto Timothy the first Bishop of Ephâ—sus St. Paul committed the power of Ordination where he requires him to lay hands hastily on no man 1 Tim. 5 22 And unto Titus the first Bishop of Crete the like Authority for ordaining Presbyters or Elders as our English reads it in every City Tit. 1. v. 5. Next he commands them to take care for the ordering of Gods publick Service viz. That Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all men 1 Tim. 2. 1. which words relate not to the private Devotions of particular persons but to the Divine Service of the Church as it is affirmed not onely by St Chrysostom Theophylact and Oâ—cumenius amongst the Ancients and by Estius for the Church of Rome but also by Calvin for the Protestant or Reformed Churches Next he requires them to take care that such as painfully labor in the Word and Doctrine receive the honor or recompence which is due unto them 1 Tim. 5. 17. as also to censure and put to silence all such Presbyters as preached any strange Doctrine contrary unto that which they had received from the Apostles 1 Tim 1. 3. And if that failed of the effect and that from Preaching Heterodoxies or strange Doctrines they went on to Heresies then to proceed to Admonition and from thence if no amendment followed to a rejection from his place and deprivation from his Function 1 Tit. 3. 10. as both the Fathers and late Writers understand the Text. Finally for correction in point of Manners as well in the Presbyter as the people St. Paul commits it wholly to the care of his Bishop where he adviseth Timothy not to receive an Accusâ—ation against
England France and Ireland and proclaimed that day to be crowned consecrated and anointed unto whom he demanded whether they would obey and serve or not By whom it was again with a loud cry answered God save the King and ever live his Majesty The same we have in substance but in sewer words in the Coâ—onation of King Iames where it is said that The King was shewed to the people and that they were required to make acknowledgement of theâ—â— allâ—giance to his Majesty by the Archbishop which they did by acclamations Assuredly the difference is exceeding vaâ—t betwixt obeying and consenting betwixt the peoples acknowledging their allegiance and promising to obey and serve theiâ— lawful Soveraign and giving their consent to his Coronation as if it could not be peâ—formed without such consent Nor had the late Archbishop been repâ—oacht so generally by the common people and that reproach publisht in several Pamphleâ—s for altering the Kings Oath at his Coronation to the infringing of the Libeâ—â—ies and diminution of the Rights of the English Subjecâ—s had he done them such a notable pieâ—e of service as freeing them from all promises to obey and â—erve and making the Kings Coronation to depend on their consent For Bishop Laud being one of that Committee which was appointed by the King to review the form and oâ—der of the Coronation to the end it might be fitted to some Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England which had not been observ'd befoâ—e must bear the greatest blame in this alteration if any such alteration had been made as our Author speaks of because he was the principal man whom the King reâ—â—ed on in that business But our Author tels us in his Preface that this last Book with divers of the rest were written by him when the Monarchy was turn'd into a State and I dare believe him He had not elâ—e so punctually conform'd his language to the new State-doctrine by which the mâ—king and conâ—equently the unmaking of Kings is wholly veâ—ted in â—he people according to that Maxim of Buchannan â—opulo jus est imperium cui velit deferat then which â—here is not a more pestilent and seditious passage â—n his whole Book De jure Regni apud Scotos though â—here be nothing else but Treason and Sedition â—n it Fol. 123. Then as many Earls and Barons as could â—onveniently stand about the Throne did lay their hands â—n the Crown on his Majesties head protesting to spend their blouds to maintain it to him and his lawful Heâ—rs A promise faithfully performed by many of them some losing their lives for him in the open field others exhausting their Estates in defence of his many more venturing their whole fortunes by adhering to him to a conâ—â—scation a Catalogue of which laâ—t we may finde subscribed to a Letter sent from the Lords and Commons of Parliament assembled in Oxford to those at Westminster Anno 1643. And by that Catalogue we may also see what and who they were who so ignobly brake faith with him all those whose names we finde not in that sâ—bscription or presently superadded to it being to be reckoned amongst those who in stead of spending their bloud to maintain the Crown to him and to his lawful successors concurred with them either in opere or in 〈◊〉 who despoiled him of it And to say truth they were rewarded as they had deserved the first thing which was done by the House of Commons after the King by their means had been brought to the fatal Block being to tuâ—ne them out of power to dissolve their House and annul their priviledges reducing them to the same condition with the reâ—t of the Subjects Fol. 127. And it had not been amiss if such who would be accounted his friends and admirers had followed him in the footsteps of his Moderation content with the enjoying without the enjoyning their private practises and opinions 〈◊〉 others This comes in as an inference only on a formeâ— passage in which it is said of Bishop Andrews that in Whâ—â— place soever he came he never pressed any other Ceremonieâ— upon them then such as he found to be used there before 〈◊〉 coming though otherwise condemned by some â—omany superstitious Ceremonies and superâ—luous Ornaments in his private Chappel How true this is I am not able to affiâ—m lesse able if it should be true to commend it in him It is not certainly the office of a carefull Bishop only to leave things as he found them but to reduce them if amiss to those Rules and Canons from which by the forwardness of some to innovate and the connivence of others at the innovations they had been suffered to decline And for the inference it self it is intended chiefly for the late Arch-bishop of Canterbury against whom he had a fling before in the fourth Book of this History not noted there because reserved to another place of which more hereafter Condemned here for his want of moderation in enjoyning his private practises and opinions on other men But 〈◊〉 our Author had done well to have spared the man who hath already reckoned for all his errors both with God and the world And secondly it had been betteâ— if he had told us what those private practises and opinions were which the Archbishop with such want of moderation did enjoyne on others For it is possible enough that the opinions which he speaks of might be the publick Doctrines of the Church of England maintained by him in opposition to those private opinions which the Calvinian pâ—rty had intended to obtrude upon her A thing complained of by Spalato who well observed that many of the opinions both of Luther and Calvin were received amongst us as part of the Doctrine and Confession of the Church of England which â—therwise he acknowleâ—ged to be capable of an Oxthoâ—x sense Praeter Anglicanam Confessionem â—uam mihi ut modestam praedicabant multa 〈◊〉 Lutheri Calvini dogmata obtinuisse â—he there objects And it is possible enough â—â—at the practises which he speaks of were not private either but a reviver of those ancient and publick â—ages which the Canons of the Church enjoyned â—nd by the remisness of the late Government had been â—iscontinued He that reads the Gag and the Appello â—aesarem of Bishop Montague cannot but see that those â—â—inions which our Author condemned for private were â—he true Doctrine of this Church professed and held forth â—n the Book of Articles the Homilies and the Common-Prayer-Book But for a justification of the Praâ—â—ises the private practises he speaks of I shall direct â—im to an Author of more credit with him Which â—â—thor first tels us of the Bishops generally That being of late years either careless or indulgent they had not required within their Dioceses that strict obedience to Ecclesiastical Constitutions which the Law expected upon which the Liturgy began totally to be laid aside and in conformity the uniform practise of â—he Church He
Câ—rrans by Queen Elizabeth it was done as our Authour tels us to cry quits with the Venetians who had rais'd the Customes of our Clâ—th And this was done saith he without regret or complaint the generall prosperity of the Reign overshadowing and her power commanding fol. 133. Here then we have an Imposition raised upon some Commodities by the sole will anâ— power of the Queen not only without Act of Parliament but without any regret or complaint of the Merchants as our Authour tels us And in the first he tels us true but not so in the last For the Merchants having fee'd some Members of the House of Commons to befriend them in it it was moved that some course might be taken by the House to ease the Merchants in thâ—t Point When presently M. Secretary Cecil addressing himself unto the Speaker desired that that businesse might proceed no further affirming that it was a Noli me tangere part of the Queens prerogative Royall and therefore not to be disputed within those wals adding wâ—â—hal that if 〈◊〉 proceeded any further he must as he was in duty bound acquaint her Majesty with the matter of whose displeasure they would quickly finde themselves to be very sensible And so the businesse stopt for that time though it broke out afterwards but little to the benefit of the Merchant as in fine it proved It seems by this story that the Commons challenged no such priviledge in Queen Elizabeths time as they did afterwards in the time of King Charles that is to say that neither the King nor Queen was to take notice of any thing which was said or done within those Walls until it was communicated to them by the consent of the House For whereas the King in a Speech made to both Houses on the 14 of December 1641. took notice of some dispute which had been raised in that House about the Kings power in pressing Soldiers for his Wars the Commons voted this for a breach of Priviledge and gain'd so far upon the Lords that they joyn'd together in this Declaration to his Maâ—esty viz. That amongst other priviledges of Parliament it was their ancient and undoubted right that his Majâ—sty ought not to take notice of any matter in Agitation and debate in either House of Parliament but by their Information and Agreement But yet as ancient as it was the yongest man present had seen the beginning and as undoubted as it was the oldest man there sitting liv'd to see the end of it And so much for that Fol. 136. But they were all ten committed to several Prisons and on the first of May Attorney-General Noy sent Process out against them to appear in the Star-Chamber and answer his Information there Our Author speaks this of those ten persons who had been guilty of that most unparallel'd Ryot which was committed in the House of Commons at the dissolving of the last Parliament at what time Mr. Noy was not Attorney-General nor in three years after and therefore could not send out Process or make any Infoâ—mation against them as is here affirmed The Attorney-General was at that time Sir Robert Heath who not long after entred the like Information against the Earls of Bedford Somerset and Clare Sir Robert Cotton Master Selden Mr. St. Iohn for dispersing a Manuscript containing sundry projects for raising money on the Subject without the help of Parliaments as if it had been some Design of the King or his Councel to enslave the Nation Concerning which our present Author tells us one thing and an absent Author tells us another That which our present Author tells us is That Fol. 140. It was contrived at Florence by Sir Robert Dudley who descended from the Dudlies Earls of Warwick and so he stiled himself That this Book of projects was contrived by Sir Robert Dudley I am well assured and I am well assured also that he neither descended from the Dudlies Earls of Warwick nor ever call'd himself by that Title There were but three that held the Titles of Warwick viz. Iohn the first Baron of that House created Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland by K. Edward the sixth Secondly Iohn his eldest surviving Son commonly called Earl of Warwick as the custom is after his Father was made Duke who dyed without Issue And thirdly Ambrose the fourth Son of the first Ioâ—n created Earl of Warwick by Queen Elizabeth Anno 1552. who deceased without Issue also so that there was but one Dudley Earl of Warwick from whom this Robert could descend and from him he did as being the base or natural Son of Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester the fifth Son of the said Iohn Dudly Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland Secondly This Sir Robert Dudley who contriv'd the Manuscript did not stile himself by the name of Earl of Warwick that being too low a title to content his Ambition For looking on himself as the onely remaining branch of this House of the Dudlies he took upon himself the Stile of Duke of Northumberland and was commonly called so by all sorts of People in the State of Florence But to proceed our Author tells us of this Manuscript of Sir Robert Dudlies That Ibid. It was a Rhapsody of several proâ—ects for increase of the Kings Revenue and somewhat in prejudice of proceedings in Parliament sundry copies whereof were dispersed c. And so disperst that there were few or none who were inquisitive into matters which conâ—erned the publick that got not â— Copy of thâ—se Paperâ— Which being found in the Study of the Earl of Strafford as it might have been in thousâ—nds more gave an occasion to E. H. an obscure fellow compos'd of Ignorance and malice to publish it in Print with this following Title viz. Straffords Plâ—t discovered and thâ— Parliament vindicated in their Iustice executed upon him by the late discovery of certain Propositions delivered to his Majesty by the Earl of Strafford a little before his tryal with this Inscription Propositions for the bridling of Parliaments and for the increasing of his Majesties Revenue much mâ—re then before c. And so much for the harmless Errors of my present and the malicious falshood of my absent Author Amongst which harmless Errors of my present but not to be excused in any Author I reckon his naming of King Charls to be the Uncle of Frederick Prince Elector Palatine fol. 143. and within few lines after his Brother-in-law as indeed he was his making â—alcedon to be a City in Greece fol. 151. whereas it was a City of Bithynia in Asia minor on the other side of the Sea But leaving these I proceed to matters of more moment and of greater conseqâ—ence Fol. 148. And therefore draws a Pedigree of his right and title from King James the first c. Our Author speaks this of the Pedigree by which the Marquess of Hamilton pretended a Right and Title to the Crown of Scotland a Title which had so many flaws that
promise which the King is said to have made him of not consenting to his death The sum of the story is briefly this viz. That the King had promised the Earl of Strafford under his hand that his prerogative should savâ— him that he would never passe the Bill nor consent to the acting of any thing to take away his life that being satisfied in all other scruples he rested in this only affirming that in regard of this promise he could not passe the Bill though the Earl were guilty the Bishop of Lincoln finding him harping on that string assured him that he thought that the Earl was so great a Lover of his Majâ—sties peace so tender of his conscience and the Kingdoms safety that he would willingly acquit the King of that promise that though the King received this intimation with a brow of anger yet the said Bishop in pursuance of the Earls destruction sends a Message to him to that purpose by the Lieutenant of the Tower or some other person whom he found attending near the place that as the devil and he would have it the Earl received that intimation with great disdain saying that if that were all which bound the King he would soon release him and thereupon opening his Cabinet drew out that Paper in which the Kings promise was contained and gave it to the said Lieutenant or that other person but whether sealed or unsealed that he cannot tell by whom it was delivered to the Bishop of Lincoln and finally that the Bishop of Lincoln finding no other scruple to remain in the Kings Conscience but the respect he had to that promise he put the fatall paper into the Kings hands which as it seems gave a full end to the conference and the Kings perplexities This is the substance of the Legend and in all this there is nothing true but the names of the parties mentioned in it And first I would fain know from what Authour he received this fiction unlesse it were from say I and say some as his own words are that is to say either from himself or from some body else but he knew not whom Most certainly he had it not from any of the Bishops then present the Lord Primate affirming in the end of his first Narrative that neither he nor the rest of his Brethren knew what was contained in that Paper and no lesse certain it is that the Bishop of Lincoln was too wise to accuse himself of such a practise if he had been really guilty of it And then as for the thing it self no man of reason can imagine that the King would either make such a proviso to the Earl or that the Earl would so far distrust his own integrity as to take it of him If the Kings knowledge of his innocence of his signal merits and the declaration which he made in Parliament to the Lords and Commons that he could not passe the Bill with a good Conscience were not sufficient to preserve him there was no help to be expected from such Paper-promises Such a Romance as this we finde in Ibrahim the Illustrious Bassa who is said to have obtained the like promise from Solyman the Magnificent which notwithstanding the Mufti or Chief Priests of the Turks devised a way to discharge the Emperour of that promise and to obtain from him an unwilling consent to the Bassa's death as the Bishop of Lincoln is said to do for the Earl of Straffords Secondly There was no such scruple of conscience propounded to the Bishops in the morning conference as the obligation which that promise laid upon him there being no other question propounded at that time but whether he might in justice passe the Bill of Attainder against the Earl To which the Bishops gave their Answer when it was again renewed in the Evening as appears by the Lord Primates first Narrative that if upon the Allegations on either â—ide at the hearing whereof the King was present he did not conceive him guilty of the crime wherewith he was charged he could not in justice condemn him and by this answer it appears that no such scruple as the obligation of that Paper-promise had been before tendred to the Bishops Thirdly Admitting that the Bishop of Lincoln might be so bold as to make that overture to the King forgetting a release of that promise from the Earl of Strafford yet was he too carefull of himself too fearfull of the Kings everlasting displeasure to pursue that fatall project when he perceived his Majesty to entertain it with a brow of anger Fourthly Admitting this also that the Bishop was so thirsty of the Earls bloud as to neglect his own safety in pursuance of it yet cannot our Historian tell us whether that intimation were sent by the Lieutenant of the Tower or some other person And certainly as the Lieutenant of the Tower was not so obscure a person but that he might easily be known from another man so is it most improbable that he should go on such an errand without speciall order from the King or that the Earl should admit of such an intimation from any other who was like to run on the Bishops bidding but only from the Lieutenant himself Fifthly It cannot be beleeved that the Earl should fall into such a passion when the Tale was told him considering that he knew that by a Letter sent unto the King on the Tuesday before he had set the Kings Conscience at liberty most humbly beseeching him for the prevention of such mischief as might happen by his refusall to passe the Bill So that the passing of the Bill could be no News to him which he had reason to expect because it was a thing so much prest by his enemies and so humbly and affectionatelyâ— desired by himselfe Sixthly and finally Though our Historian make it doubtfull whether that Paper-promise were sent back sealed or unsealed yet no man can suspect the Earl to be so imprudent in his actions so carelesse of his own honour and so untrusty to the King in so great a secret as to send it open by which it must needs come first to the eyes of others before it came unto the Kings And if it were not sent unsealed how came our Authour to the knowledge that that paper contained the Kings promise as he saies it did But nothing more betrays the vanity and impossibility of this fiction then the circumstance in point of time in which this promise must be made which must needs fall between the passing of the Bill of Attainder and the Kings conference with the Bishops sent to him for the satisfaction of his Conscience by the Houses of Parliament Our Authour tels us that at the conference with the Bisâ—ops the King being satisfied in all other scruples started his last doubt If in his Conscience he could not passe the Bill although the Earl were guilty having promised under his hand that his prerogative should save him never to passe that Bill nor to
consent to the acting of any thing to take away his life By which it needs must follow if the Bill of Attainder was first passed or at the least in probability to be passed in the House of Peers before the King had given any such promise under his hand for the words are that the King had given him a promise under his hand never to passe that Bill Now that Bill was not taken into consideration in the House of Lords till Saturday the 24. of April in which considering their own danger and the little satisfaction they are able to give themselves M. St Iohn the Kings Sollicitor Generall was appointed by the House of Commons to open the Bill before their Lordships and to give them information in it which was done upon Thursday the nine and twentieth of the same Moneth On the next day some of the Lords began to stagger in their resolutions and to incline unto the Commons which moved the King to declare himself before both Houses on the first of May That he could not with a good Consciâ—nce condemn the Earl of High Treason which he must needs do if he passe that Bill and therefore hoped that they would not expect that from him which neither fear nor any other respect whatsoever should enforce him to Other assurance then this of not passing the Bill as the King never made the Earl so indeed he could not the Earl being a close Prisoner and so narrowly watcht especially after his Majesties said Declaration of the first of May that no such Paperâ—promise under the Kings hand could be sent unto him if either the King had thought it necessary to make any such promise or the Earl to seek it Adeo mendaciorum natura est ut coherere non possint as Lactantius hath it This point thus cleared and the King discharged from making any such promise under his hand there must some other way be found out to preserve the Earl by devising some means for his escape and to this plot the King must be made a party also our Authour telling us positively That Some Designe there was no doubt of delivering the Earl of Strafford by escape in order whereunto Sir William Balfour Lieutenant of the Tower must be commanded by the King to receive one Captain Billingsley with an hundred men to secure the place If so how durst Balfour refuse to yeeld obedience to the Kings command Marry forfooth because three good Women of Tower-street peeping into the Earls Gallery through the Key-hole could by the Spectacles of their eyes discern him talking with this Captain and by the Otocoâ—sticon of their ears could hear them talk of some Desigâ—e for this escape The Summe of their Discourse being this that a Ship of Captain Billingsleys Brothers should be in readinesse which was fallen down on purpose below in the River that they three might be there in twelve hours that if the Fort were but secur'd for three or four Moneths there would come aid enough and that there was nothing to be thought upon but an escape and much more broken speech to that purpose It seems the womens ears must be very long and the tongues both of the Earl and Billingsly must be very loud or else how could a practise of such a close and dangerous nature be so plainly heard Assuredly by the same means by which the Zealous Brother in More fields discovered a dangerous plot against the Parliament discoursed of by some who were passing by but he knows not who they were as he was sunning himself under an hedge Of whom as creditable an Authour as Sir William Balfour hath told me this That while he was contriving some Querpo-cut of Church-Government by the help of his out-lying ears and the Otocousticon of the Spirit â—e discovered such a Plot against the Parliament that Selden intends to combat Antiquity and maintain it was a Taylors Goose that preserved the Capitol But in good earnest I would fain know of our Author or of Sir William Balfour or of both together whether the three Good-Wives of Tower-street did hear these Passages in discourse by their eyes or their ears Not by their Eyes for the Eye is not the sense of hearing nor by their Ears for it is not said that they laid their Ears to the Key-hole but that they peeped thorow it And next I would fain know whâ—ther they peep'd or hearkned all at once or one after another If all at once the Key-hole must be wondrous wide as Heavenly-wide as Mopsus mouth in Sir Philip Sidney which could admit of three pair of hearing Eyes or of three single seeing Ears at one time together And if they peep'd or hearkned one after another they must needs have both very quick Wits and strong Comprehensions that could make up so much of a set Discourse from such broken Speeches though they within spake never so loudly Letting this pass therefore with a Risum teneatis Amici we have next a more serious discovery of this Design by the Conference which the Earl of Strafford had with Sir William Balfour offering him but four days before his death no less then Twenty thousand pounds and a Marriage of his Daughter to Balfours Son if he would assent to his Escape And for this also as well as for the tale of the three Good-Wives of Tower-Street and the command of admitting Billingsley with an hundred men to secure the Tower we must take Sir Williams bare word for he gave it not in upon his Oath in the House of Commons And what the bare word of a Scot a perfidious Scot and one that shortly after took up Arms against his Master will amount unto we all know too well Nor was the Earl so ignorant of the hatred which generally the Scotish Covenanters bare unto him or of the condition of this man particularly as to communicate any such design unto him had he been so unprepar'd for death as our Author makes him And so this second Romance of Sir William Balfour and the three Women Good-Wives of Tower Street being sent after that of the Bishop of Lincoln we leave the Earl of Straffords business and go on with our Author to some other Fol. 418. Then follows King Henry the fourth c. ofâ—larence â—larence Title to precede that of Mortimer That some of the Lords combined to depose this King I shall easily grant though not upon those grounds which our Author mingles with the Speech of one Mr. Thomas a Member of the House of Commons against the Bishops For though the Title of Clarence did precede that of the King yet was not the Kings Title derived from Mortimer the Title of Mortimer and Clarence being one and the same The Title of King Henry the fourth came by his Father Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth Son of King Edward the third the title of Mortimer came by Philip the sole Daughter and Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third son of the said King Edward
both Kingdoms and the payment of Advance-Money beforehand to the Sum of an hundred thousand pounds the Scots resolv'd not to stir a foot in their way towards England They knew in what necessity their dear Brethren in England stood of their Assistance and therefore thought it good to make â—ay while the Sun shiâ—â—d and husband that necessity to their best Advantage So that there was no Marching over Tine on the 13. of March Anno 164â— where our 〈…〉 it we must look for it in the Year next following if we mean to finde it And finding them there we shall finde this of them Fol. 669. 〈…〉 with a party of Horse to assault them in such places where they lay most open to advantage not doubting but to give a good account of his undertakings In all which 〈◊〉 and desires he is said to have been crossed by General 〈◊〉 an old experienced Soldier but a Scot by Nation whom hiâ— Majesty had recommended to the Marquess of Newcastle as a fit man to be consulted with in all his Enterprizes and he withal took such a fancy to the man that he was guided wholly by him in all his Actions Had this man been imployed in the Kings own Army he might have done as good Service as any other whatâ—oeverâ— But being in this Army to serve against the Scots 〈◊〉 own dear Countrey-Men he is said to have discouraged and disswaded all Attempts which were offered to be made against them giving them thereby opportunity of gaining ground upon the English till the Marquess his retreat towards York And those affections he is reported to have carried also with him in the Battle of Marston-Moor near York where he is said to have charged so faintly that he not onely lost all thâ—se Advantages which the Prince had gotten but gave the Enemy my opportunity to make head again to the loss of all which brings into my minde the politick Conduct of Eumenes once one of Alexanders meanest Captains but afterwards a great Commander in Asia-minor He had an Army compounded of the Greek and Barbarous Nations and being to fight with Craterus Alexanders great Favorite whilst he lived who had an Army made up of the like Ingredients he plac'd 〈◊〉 Asiatick Soldiers against the 〈…〉 Fol. 604. 〈…〉 Our Author speaks this of the Divines asâ—embled at Westmâ—â—ster by an Oâ—din of the Lords and Commons to be advis'd withal in matters which concerned Religion for the establishing whereof there was much pretended by them but little done These men besides their four 〈◊〉 per diem were either gratified with Lectures in and about London or 〈◊〉 in the Universities or the best Sequestred Benefices in the Countrey holding their own preferment still without sticking at such Pluralities in themselves which before they had condemn'd in others But though they did little work for their Wages yet they did moâ—e then our Author speaks of Ceâ—tain I am that they rose not without 〈◊〉 their intended Directory publisht in Print and Authorized by an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament The â—itle of the Book runs thus viz. A Directory for the publick Worship of God throughout the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland c. Printed at London for the Company of Stationers The Ordinance bears Daâ—e on the third of January Anno 1644. and is thus Entituled viz. An Ordinance of Parliament for the taking away of the Book of Common Praâ—er and for the establishing and putting in Execution of the Directory for the publick Worship of God By which we see that their intended Directory was not onely finished but also Authorized and published before they roâ—e Though our Author speaking again of these Divines fol. 974. and in the year 1647. telleth us That the Prince Elector was 〈◊〉 by the Commons to sit amongst them for his 〈◊〉 in the Composure of the Directory which will come out one day The Directory was come out before and if the Prince 〈◊〉 sat not with them till 1647. as our Author 〈◊〉 it he must needs come too late to give them any assistance in that Composure 〈…〉 Fâ—elding was questioned and committed at Oxford and by a Councel of War sentenced to 〈◊〉 his Head c. But this I look upon as a Court Pageant onely to entertain the People and take off their edge against the man who certainly was a person of too much Honor Vaâ—or and Fidelity to betray the Town if he could possibly have held it Although the King knew well enough and knew withal how unable he was at that time to give him any â—it supplies or to â—aise the â—iege though it conâ—ern'd him for the reputatâ—on of his Cause to march in Person unto Reading and shew his willingness to relieve it But so great a fear fell on all those that were in Oxford and such a general Report there was of Fieldings Treachery that to appease their murmuâ—ings and compose their thoughts Fielding was called in question and condemned to die a Scaffold set up in the Castle Green for his Execution and a day appointed on which he was to be Beheaded Before which time the Earl of Essex not advancing and the â—it being over the Execution was â—eprieved till a further time and Fielding by degrees recovered as much estimation amongst those at Oxâ—ord as formerly he had attained to in the Court or Camp And to say truth the fear at Oxford was not 〈◊〉 when the News came of the taking of Reâ—â—ing the Town being â—o unfortified on the North side of it the King so 〈◊〉 at that time of necessary Ammunition to make good the place that it could not possibly have been deâ—ended i◠〈◊〉 had marched directly towards it and 〈…〉 Fol. 615. And brought to bed at Exceter of a Daughter the 16. of June named Henrietta Maria Not so but Henrietta only Maria is added by our Authour who was none of the Gossips and therefore should not take upon him to name the childe But such Misnomers are so frequent in him as might make a sufficient Errata at the end of his History were there none else in it Fol. 622. And so a New one was framed engraven thereon the picture of the House of Commons and Members sitting Reversed the Arms of England and Ireland â—rosse and Harp pale â— If so this new Seal could not so properly be called the Great Seal of England but the great Seal of the House of Commons represented in it who are so far from being the High Court of Parliament though were they such they could have no Authority for a Great Seal of their own that they are not so much as Members of the Great Councell Most true it is that the prevailing party in both Houses of Parliament conceived it necessary to have a Great Seal lying by them as well for the dispatch of such Commissions as they well to speed in in reference to the present War as for the sealing of such Decrees and processes as were to be