Sword in the other in which the Lords and Commons do IN THE PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD profess That if his Majesty will forthwith return to his Parliament c. they will receive him with all Honour yield him all due Subjection and Obedience and faithfully endeavour to secure his Person and Estate from all Danger and do the utmost of their Power to procure and establish to himself and his People all the Blessings of a glorious and happy Reign WE DID THEN VERILY BELIEVE AND YET DO that these were the sincere and cordial Intentions of the Lords and Commons and altho the King was so unhappy as to reject that Petition yet they persisted still in the same Loyalty of Intentions and Affections towards him as appears in their many Messages to himself and Declarations to the Kingdom Upon these Grounds we engaged in this CAVSE being called to it by a lawful Authority The TWO HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT BEING THE ORDINANCE OF GOD VNTO THIS NATION FOR THE PREVENTING OF TYRANNY AND THE REGVLATING OF THE EXORBITANCIES OF REGAL POWER and being convinced in our Judgments both of the Equity and Necessity of THE PARLIAMENT'S DEFENSIVE ARMS c. WE APPEAL TO GOD the Searcher of all Hearts to whom we must give an Account of all our Ways THAT THESE WERE THE GROVNDS OF OVR FIRST ENGAGEMENT Now Sir to look back to your Defence of the King I find you frequently glorying in his Majesty's oft-repeated Gracious Messages Offers Proposals and Condescentions for Peace and in relation to the Deportment of the Parliament you thus express your poor Judgment I cannot but perswade my self Pag. 17. they were resolved to continue the War and engross all into their own hands let what would become of the King But yet that they might pacify the Minds of a great number of the Nation who groaned under the Miseries of the War and began to see too much of a private Spirit under publick Pretences they consent to a Treaty at Uxbridg they did so and you declare that two Heads were agreed to be there debated viz. 1. Of Religion and Church Government 2. Of the Militia Now in reading the History of that Treaty I find that a third great thing was agreed to be also debated viz. The business of Ireland but that being a Point which you care not to touch I must not allow you to hide it To discourse a little about this Treaty notwithstanding the King for his Credit-sake and to satisfy his own Party weary of War yielded to a Treaty I cannot perswade my self but he was resolved to continue the War and if you appear not a Man of resolved Prejudices or else of profound and stupid Ignorance I do half think that I may bring you over to my Opinion in this matter For to let you see what disposed him to hearken to this Treaty take his own words in his Letter to the Queen in December 1644. I shall shew thee upon what Grounds I came to a Treaty to the end thou mayst the better understand and APPROVE of my Ways Then know as A CERTAIN TRVTH that all EVEN MY PARTY are strongly impatient for Peace which obliged me so much the more at all occasions to shew my real Intentions to Peace NO DANGER OF DEATH SHALL MAKE ME DO ANY THING VNWORTHY OF THY LOVE At the very instant of this Treaty which was had in February 1644 the King used all imaginable means to bring not only FOREIGN FORCES but the Irish CUT-THROATS against the Parliament to clear up this Point and also to evince how insincere he was in his pretended Intentions of Peace I will briefly present to your view his under-hand Transactions as well with Foreign Princes as those Rebels and in the first place I shall mind you of some Passages between Him and the Queen in relation to this and other Treaties In a Letter to her of January 9 1644 he writes thus The Scots Commissioners have sent to me to send a Commission to their General Assembly WHICH I AM RESOLVED NOT TO DO but to the end of making some use of this occasion by sending an honest Man to London and that I may have the more time for the making A HANDSOME NEGATIVE I have demanded a Passport for Phil. Warwick by whom to return my Answer At another time in the same Month he tells her that as for my my calling those at London * He had agreed to treat with them as a Parliament the Queen upbraided him for so doing and he thus vindicates himself A PARLIAMENT IF THERE HAD BEEN BUT TWO OF MY OPINION I had not done it THE CALLING DID NO WAYS ACKNOWLEDG THEM TO BE A PARLIAMENT upon which Condition and Construction I did it and accordingly it is registred in the Council-Books Nothing is more evident than that the King was steered by the Queen's Counsel in the Management of this Uxbridg Treaty and that which you call the Church of England THE BISHOPS was greatly her Care By Letter in January 1644 before the beginning of that Treaty She instructs him not to abandon those who have served him lest they for sake him in his need that SHE hopes he will have a care of her and HER RELIGION That in her Majesty's Opinion RELIGION SHOULD BE THE LAST THING UPON WHICH HE SHOULD TREAT for if he do agree upon Strictness against the Catholicks it would discourage them to serve him and if afterwards there should be no Peace he could never expect Succours either FROM IRELAND or any other CATHOLICK PRINCE In another of her Letters we find her writing thus Jan. 17 1644. It comforts me much to see the Treaty shall be at Uxbridg I RECEIVED YESTERDAY LETTERS FROM THE DUKE OF LORRAIN WHO SENDS ME WORD IF HIS SERVICE BE AGREEABLE TO YOU HE WILL BRING YOU 10000 MEN ABOVE ALL have a care not to ABANDON those who have served you AS WELL THE BISHOPS AS THE POOR CATHOLICKS By the King's Letters to the Queen in February when the Treaty at Vxbridg was depending he stiles the Parliament UNREASONBLE STUBBORN PERFIDIOUS REBELS presses her to hasten all possible Assistance to him particularly that of the Duke of Lorrain He tells her that the limited days for treating are now almost expired without the least Agreement upon any one Article wherefore I have sent for enlargement of Days THAT THE WHOLE TREATY MAY BE LAID OPEN TO THE WORLD and I ASSURE THEE THOU NEEDEST NOT DOUBT THE ISSUE OF THIS TREATY for MY COMMISSIONERS ARE SO WELL CHOSEN tho I say it that they will neither be threatned nor disputed from the Grounds I have given them which upon my word IS ACCORDING TO THE LITTLE NOTE THOU SO WELL REMEMBERS Be confident that in making Peace I shall ever shew my CONSTANCY IN ADHERING TO BISHOPS AND ALL OUR FRIENDS and not forget to put a short Period to this perpetual Parliament We find him in another Letter dated the 5th of March expressing himself in these
words I have thought of one means more to furnish thee with for my Assistance than hitherto thou hast had it is that I GIVE THEE POWER TO PROMISE IN MY NAME THAT I will * If this were so good a King Why so much Clamour against K. James the Second for designing the same thing take away all the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholicks in England as soon as God shall enable me to do it Another Letter to her of the 20th of March hath this Expression I find that Thou much mistakes Me concerning Ireland I DESIRE NOTHING MORE THAN A PEACE there and never forbad thy Commerce there In relation to Ireland he wrote to the Marquess of Ormond to this effect Jan. 7. THE REBELS HERE have agreed to TREAT AND MOST ASSUREDLY ONE OF THE FIRST and chief ARTICLES they will insist on will be TO CONTINUE THE IRISH WAR WHICH IS A POINT NOT POPULAR FOR ME TO BREAK ON of which you are to make a double use First TO HASTEN WITH ALL POSSIBLE DILIGENCE THE PEACE THERE the timely conclusion of which will take off that Inconvenience which otherwise I may be subject to by the refusal of that Article upon any other Reason Secondly By dexterous conveying to the Irish the Danger there may be of their total and perpetual EXCLUSION FROM THOSE FAVOURS I INTEND THEM in case THE REBELS here elap up a Peace with me NOT DOUBTING OF A PEACE I must again remember you TO PRESS THE IRISH for their speedy Assistance to me here and their Friends in Scotland I DESIRE that THE IRISH would send as great a Body as they can to land about Cumberland WHICH WILL PUT THOSE NORTHERN COUNTIES IN A BRAVE CONDITION Upon the 14th of January he writes thus to the Queen As for the Peace of Ireland to shew thee the Care I have had of it and the Fruits I hope to receive from it I have sent thee the last Dispatches I have sent concerning it FOR GOD'S SAKE LET NONE KNOW THE PARTICULARS OF MY DISPATCHES By another Letter he commanded Ormond To dispatch the Irish Peace out of hand and thereby promises that the PENAL LAWS against Roman Catholicks SHALL NOT BE PUT IN EXECUTION the Peace being made and that when the Irish give him that Assistance which they have promised for the suppression of THIS REBELLION then he would consent to the Repeal of them by a Law and concludes RECOMMENDING TO HIM AGAIN THE SPEEDY DISPATCH OF THE PEACE OF IRELAND Another Letter to Ormond upon the 27th of Feb. 1644 was That HE THOUGHT HIMSELF bound IN CONSCIENCE not to lose that Assistance which he might hope from his IRISH SUBJECTS for such Scruples as in a less pressing condition might reasonably be stuck at by him and therefore commanded him to conclude a Peace with the Irish WHATSOEVER IT COST so that his Protestant Subjects there might be secured and his Regal Authority preserved If the present taking away of the Penal Laws against Papists will do it said he I shall not think it a hard Bargain so that freely and vigorously they engage themselves in my Assistance against MY REBELS of England and Scotland FOR WHICH NO CONDITIONS CAN BE TOO HARD not being aginst Conscience or Honour By another Letter to the Marquess of Ormond in the same Month he writes thus Now again I cannot but mention the Necessity of hastening the Irish Peace for which I hope you are already furnished by me with Materials sufficient But in case against all Expectation and Reason PEACE CANNOT BE HAD UPON THOSE TERMS YOU MUST NOT BY ANY MEANS FALL TO A NEW RUPTURE with them but continue THE CESSATION He wrote to the Duke of Richmond one of his Commissioners for the Vxbridg Treaty There was at this time high Division in London between the Presbyterians and Independents therefore to ruin both by somentiâ—â— Misunderstandings between them the Independents are to be cajoled A thing worthy remembrance in all times TO REMEMBER TO CAJOLE WELL THE INDEPENDENTS AND THE SCOTS Nay he instructed Secretary Nicholas to bribe the Commissioners for the Parliament with the promise of Security Rewards and Places Well now upon the whole Matter pray tell me ingenuously good Doctor Whether did the King or the Parliament more sincerely aim at the desired Peace in this Treaty I am clearly of opinion that he frustrated the Hopes of a happy Composure at this time for whatever you alledg had he used the same moderation here and granted those things he offered to yield to afterwards as I may have occasion to shew you hereafter the unhappy War had then been ended But though he pretended to listen to Overtures of Peace because his own Party were weary of the War yet he was found to use Tricks of Legerdemain and by this and his other Treaties aimed only at the getting some Advantage by secret Treacheries and under-hand Dealings I have told you that one of the three main Heads to be treated upon was Ireland That was to be anticipated and forestall'd by a Peace at any Rate to be huddled up with the Irish Rebels e're the Treaty could begin that he might pretend his Word and Honour past against the popular Arguments which the Parliament might urge upon him for the continuance of that just War The English during the Treaty were called perfidious Rebels the IRISH GOOD AND CATHOLICK SUBJECTS He contrived how to make handsom Negatives For fashion-sake he called the Parliament a PARLIAMENT yet by a Jesuitical Slight he did not acknowledg tho call them so He press'd earnestly for Ten thousand Lorrainers to be transported hither and that a Body of the bloody Irish Rebels might be landed in Cumberland delighting himself that they would put the Northern Counties into A BRAVE CONDITION for he well knew that they had destroyed above One hundred and forty thousand Protestants in their own Kingdom and were therefore without doubt very fit Men to assist him in the maintaining THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND He boasted of his choice of Commissioners for the Treaty and that they would stick close to the NOTE OF INSTRUCTIONS which he and the Queen had concerted and assured her that HE WOULD EVER SHEW HIS CONSTANCY IN ADHERING TO BISHOPS AND PAPISTS He impowered the Queen to treat with the Irish and to give assurance that he would take away THE PENAL LAWS against Papists in England In fine Nothing is more evident than that he used Treaties pretending Peace to no other End than to gain Advantages that might enable him to carry on War And methinks it should not offend you to hear that Opinion not only a Minister but a Martyr for Monâ—â—â—oy had of this King the famous Mr. Christopher Love 〈◊〉 lost his Head upon Tower-hill which I am confident you wâ—â—â— never do for any Cause tho you live near it preaching before the Parliament Commissioners at this Vxbridg Treaty expresâ—â—â— himself thus It would search to the quick to find out WHETHER
to say that those words were not only consonant to his Speech then made in Parliament but agreeable to the constant Tenour of his whole Life even unto the last Period His Father and Mother lived and died pious Protestants such was his Religious Lady and such are his Grand-Children at this day This Lord Conway was Knighted at the taking of Cadiz in Spain in the time of Queen Elizabeth he was afterwards for many Years Governour of the Brill in Holland where he and his Family lived as became zealous Protestants and greatly beloved and esteemed by the Protestant Magistrates and Ministers of that Town He was greatly favoured by the never to be forgotten MOST PIOUS PRINCE HENRY When the Brill and other Cautionary Towns were delivered to the Dutch upon his return into England he was imployed to Jersey to compose some Differences there which he performed to so much Satisfaction that the good Protestants of that Place always mentioned him with Honour He was then sent Ambassador to Germany in behalf of the King and Queen of Bohemia and was very acceptable to those UNHAPPILY DESERTED Protestant Princes Upon his return to England the Spanish-Match was warmly press'd against which he spake with so much Reason and Courage that the Duke of Buckingham who for particular ends resolved to ruin that Project introduced him as a proper Instrument for that purpose to be Principal Secretary of State In that Station he refused many great Gifts tendred to him by particular Persons and 10000 l. Sterling offer'd and press'd upon him by the Spanish Ambassador In the beginning of King Charles I. Reign at the opening of one of those Parliaments and according to the Custom then the Holy Communion being to be received by both Houses of Parliament by the Contrivance of some LAUDEANS the SACRAMENT was offered to the Lords in Henry the Seventh's Chappel NOT IN BREAD BUT IN WAFERS This Lord Conway was one of the Lords who refused the Wafers and caused them to be taken away and Bread to be brought * He that would not make the necessary Advances to Rome was to be neither Secretary nor Minister of State to King Charles I. Not long after K. Charles I. sent for the Seals of the Secretary's Office from him which as the Lord imployed in that Message would often say the Lord Conway delivered with an admirable Generosity becoming indeed one that in that Ministry of State had served the Publick with extraordinary Ability and Integrity had performed many noble Offices to particular Persons without Injury to any and left that Place and some others of great Profit without one Farthing advantage to the State of his Family When he was upon his Death-Bed a Lady of great Wit who was turned Papist and was the Widow of a near Relation of his Lordship very subtilly and earnestly press'd upon him concerning his Religion whereupon he strengthened himself and made full Profession of his firm Stedfastness in the Reformed Protestant Religion caus'd the Servants to convey this Lady out of his House and commanded them not to suffer any of that Religion to come to him And now Doctor I assure you at parting That as fast as you shall convince me of any Error or Mistake committed in my Scriblings about your Martyr I shall as openly and frankly retract it as I have now done this which relates to my Lord Conway Might I be made so happy as to find a sutable return from you and that you would give a free and impartial Liberty to the use of your own Reason I would yet hope that we might mutually conclude as I now do Your Friend in and for the Truth Edmund Ludlow Amsterdam Jan. 30 1691 2. FINIS A Table of some remarkable Things in this Book KIng Charles I. favouring Popery and dispensing with the Laws c. Page 3 His Bishops cherished Popery and discountenanced conformable Orthodox Ministers Page 3 Montague one of his Chaplains endeavoured to reconcile England to Rome made a Bishop Page 4 The King 's lending Ships to the French to destroy the Protestants of Rochel Page 4 Ship-Money Loan Coat and Conduct-Money required and the Refusers imprisoned and impress'd to serve at Sea Page 4 Archbishop Abbot suspended and confined By Williams disgraced and imprisoned Page 5 Sir Randolph Crew Lord Chief Justice displas'd Page 5 Tonnage and Poundage levied against Law Page 5 Earl of Bristol confined Page 6 Earl of Arundel imprison'd Page 6 Duke of Buckingham protected against the Parliament Page 6 Members of Parliament imprison'd Page 6 Sir John Elliot's Death in the Tower Page 7 The King 's threatning Speeches in Parliament Page 7 His Speech at the Meeting of the Parliament Nov. 1640. Page 11 Bishops obtruded upon Scotland against their Laws Page 12 Laud framed a Common-Prayer for Scotland and sent it to be approved by the Pope Page 12 The Scots protest against it Page 13 King James I. took the Scotish Covenant in the Year 1580. Page 13 The Scots renewed that Covenant in the Year 1638. Page 13 14 The Scots require to have the Liturgy abolished and to have a National Synod Page 14 A Synod called and dissolved by the King the Scots protest against the Dissolution and continue it Page 14 The King resolves upon a War against Scotland Page 14 That War called Bellum Episcopale Page 15 The Scots raise an Army Page 15 A Pacification concluded the King soon after burns it by the Hangman's hands Page 15 Scotish Commissioners sent to the King imprisoned Page 16 A Parliament called in April 1640 and dissolved Page 16 Members imprisoned Page 17 Clergy and Bapists contribute to a second War against Scotland Page 17 Sir Nicholas Rainton Sir Stephen Soame and other eminent Citizens imprison'd for refusing a Loan Page 17 The Scots possess themselves of Newcastle and Durham Page 17 The Lords at York petition for a Parliament Page 18 Cessation of Arms with the Scots Page 18 Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts suppress'd by Act of Parliament Page 21 Poll-money granted Page 21 Dr. Leighton's Censure in the Star-Chamber Page 22 Mr. Pryn's Dr. Bastwick's and. Mr. Burton's Censures and horrid Oppressions by Archbishop Laud. Page 24 25 Those Sentences declared illegal in Parliament Page 27 Ship-Money illegal Page 27 Lord Keeper Finch impeach'd of High-Treason about Ship-Money and flies Page 28 The many Exorbitances and Oppressions of the Bishops Page 28 Twelve of them impeach'd of Treason and all removâ—â— from the Lords House Page 29 The Earl of Strafford impeach'd and attâ—inted of Treason Page 30 Bills for Triennial Parliaments and for continuing the present Parliament passed Page 31 Conspiracy to bring the Army against the Parliament discovered Page 32 The King had a Million and half of Money in the first Year of the Parliament 1640. Page 35 The Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Dec. 1641. Page 35 The Tumults and Riots in 1641. Page 37 An Account of the occasion of those Tumults Page 41 The King accuses the Lord Mandeville and five Members of Treason Page 37 He goes to the House of Commons with an armed Force and demands the five Members Page 37 The Commons demand a Guard Page 38 The Case of the five Members discussed Page 38 The King leaves White-hall Page 42 The Parliament petitions him at Theobalds to return Page 42 They send a Declaration to him to Newmarket praying his return and the putting the Militia into safe hands Page 43 His Answer about the Militia Page 46 His sending to the King of Denmark for Aid against the Parliament Page 47 He invited the Scots against them Page 47 The Queen buys Arms in Holland Page 47 Names of the Peers recommended by the Parliament to be entrusted with the Militia Page 47 The Lords and Commons petition about the Militia Page 48 Their Ordinance for ordering the Militia Page 48 The Proceedings of the Parliament with King Richard the Second Page 49 The Lords and Commons petition the King at York to return Page 50 The King summons the Gentry to York and requires them to raise him a Guard Page 50 They petition him to return to the Parliament Page 50 Petition of many thousand Freeholders of Yorkshire Page 50 The King requires the Gentlemen c. of Yorkshire to attend him in Arms. Page 51 The Lords and Commons vote that the King Intends to raise War and that it is a Breach of his Trust and that such as assist him in that War are Traitors Page 52 They vote the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex Page 52 Their Petition to the King to return Page 52 The King's Speech at the head of his Army Page 54 The Petition of the Parliament sent by the Earl of Essex Page 56 The Preparations made by the King for War Page 58 The Opinion of above sixty Essex Ministers of the Parliament War Page 59 The uxbridg-Uxbridg-Treaty Page 61 Heads of Letters between the King Queen and Marquess of Ormond about the uxbridg-Uxbridg-Treaty and for procuring a Peace with the Irish Rebels to bring them against the Parliament Page 63 The vulgar Error of the Scots selling the King refuted Page 67 A Vindication of the Lord Conway Page 69
us assurance that you have no thought but of Peace and Justice to your People must be some real Effect of your Goodness to them in granting those things which the present Necessity of the Kingdom do inforce us to desire And that you will be graciously pleased to put from you those mischievous Counsellors which have caused all these Dangers and Distractions and to continue your own Residence and the Princes near London and the Parliament which we hope will be a happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt your Majesty and your People and be followed with many succeeding Blessings of Honour and Greatness to your Majesty and of Security and Prosperity to them These are brief Heads good Doctor of the Declaration which you mention to be read to the King at Newmarket and you with very little regard to his Majesty's Honour do affirm that after the hearing this Declaration read he expostulated in these words What would you have Have I violated your Laws Pag. 8. Were you so well read in the History of that Day as you pretend to be this his strong Expostulation with the Lords and Commons would never have found room in your Defence of the King for his high violation of the Laws were too well known to the whole World to be denied and you his Majesty's Defender would never have revived the thing had you remembred the short but most pertinent Reply which both Houses made thereto in these words We are heartily sorry we have such plentiful matter of an Answer to that Question HAVE I VIOLATED YOUR LAWS You proceed Pag. 9. Sir saying That the Applications from the two Houses at this time were for NOTHING LESS than the MILITIA You are out again Doctor and would I use the Royal Language wherewith the Earl of Holland was intterrupted by the King in reading the Declaration to him at New-market I might with more Truth than he did say THAT' 's FALSE THAT' 's A LIE For in recounting some Particulars of the Declaration I have demonstrated that their Application was also for other and less Matters than the Militia they humbly petitioned him to put away his wicked Counsellors and to return to his Parliament You add That the King continuing stedfast to his Resolution and DEAF TO ALL THEIR IMPORIVNITIES The want of Ears I must tell you Reverend Sir cost him his Head at last telling them That he would nor part with his Militia for an Hour I must help you a little in this part of the Story too The Earl of Pembrook ask'd him Whether the Militia might not be granted as was desired by the Parliament for a time HIS MAJESTY SWORE BY GOD NOT FOR AN HOUR This shews him a little more stubbornly stedfast than you would tell the World however you told too much in this place or his Majesty resolved and swore too fast for afterwards you say That at the Treaty at Vxbridg Pag. 20. He consented that the Militia for three Years should be in the Hands of twenty Commissioners the one half to be nominated by the two Houses Your next words are these THE MILITIA THEY MUST HAVE Pag. 9. OR THE NATION IS UNDONE The State of the Kingdom at that Day considered there never fell from your Pen a greater Truth than what you have here delivered for besides the particular Instances which I have already given you of the King's Invasion of the Priviledges of the Parliament of the Rights of the People and of his Prâ—â—â—â—ations for War against them I must here inform you that in the beginning of the Year 1641 a time when the King was in appearance transacting Matters amicably with the two Houses and we seemed to be in a deep Peace a time when he declared that he had received no other carriage from his Parliament than what he professed himself satisfied with and that if the Bills he had past were again to be offered he should chearfully and readily assent unto them even then he dispatched away Letters and an Agent to the King of Denmark complaining of the Parliament and asking Supplies from thence AD PROPVLSANDOS HOSTES you know the English of that is to subdue his Enemies and declared himself in these words ☜ ad alia Consilia Animum convertendum duximus VVe resolve to betake our self to new Counsels the very words he used to the Parliament in the Year 1628. Further upon the Discovery of his Plot to bring up the English Army against the Parliament he turned to the Scotish Army then at Newcastle and baited his Temptation with a rich Reward not only to have 300000 l. in hand and the Spoil of London but four Northern Counties to be made Scotish Moreover to encourage them to joyn with him he declared to them that he was to have Money and Horse from Denmark and that he would made York the place of his Residence for the better Accommodation of both Nations or fuller Revenge upon London He also gathered Men in London under pretence of raising Forces for Portugal who were to possess themselves of the Tower The Queen in Holland was buying Arms and his Majesty had actually raised Forces in divers Counties The Parliament was all this time petitioning in Peace And for the Reasons now assigned amongst many others They humbly besought him that he would be pleased to put the Tower of London and the Militia into the hands of such Persons as should be recommended to him by both Houses of Parliament The King seemed to comply herein and by his Answer promised them that the Militia should be put into such hands as they should approve of or recommend to him hereupon both Houses nominated Persons of the greatest Honour as fit for that Trust to give you the Names of some of them the Earls of Holland Rutland Bedford Bullingbrook Salisbury Warwick Pembrook Leicester Stamford Essex Clare Northumberland Lincoln Suffolk c. Lords Paget North Strange Roberts Grey of Werk Chandois Dacres Mandeville Wharton Spencer Brook Herbert Fielding Littleton Lord Keeper c. Men eminent in all Quallifications of Honour and Sufficiency were recommended for several Counties and the King was desired to agree thereunto as he had promised upon his delaying to give a satisfactory Answer they again petition him to give such an Answer as might raise in them a Confidence that they should not be exposed to the Practices of those who thirst after the Ruin of the Kingdom and the kindling that Combustion in England which they had effected in Ireland That nothing could enable them to suppress THE REBELLION IN IRELAND and secure England but the granting of their humble Petition which they find so absolutely necessary for the preservation of the King and Common-wealth that the Laws of God and Man injoyn them to see it put in Execution They again by a Petition presented at Theobalds March 1 1641. intreated him that he would at last be pleased to grant their necessary Petition concerning the
Confidence were begot betwixt your Majesty and your Parliament whose grave and loyal Counsels are we humbly conceive the visible way under God to put a speedy end to the Troubles of Ireland and establish your Throne in Righteousness We most humbly supplicate that we may represent our Vnfitness to become Judges betwixt your Majesty and Parliament in any thing or dispute the Authority of either which we humbly conceive do fortify each other We shall be ready to maintain your Majesty's just Rights the Priviledges and Power of Parliaments and the lawful Liberties of the Subjects I have now shown you Doctor that the King wanted not Invitations to return and live in Honour and Safety at London The Parliament importunately press'd it the Gentlemen and Freeholders of Yorkshire humbly supplicated it But nothing is more certain than that instead of hoping to cool the Heats at London by retiring to York 't was his sole purpose and intention to put that Country and the whole Kingdom into a Flame as he quickly did and pursuant to that Design having rejected with Scorn the Petitions I have mentioned he persisted in his former way of raising Forces and made Proclamation requiring all Gentlemen and others of that County to attend him in Arms. The Lords and Commons wisely foreseeing the impending Mischief and observing the Clouds to gather so fast and threaten a Storm they as wisely endeavoured to prevent it and therefore passed a Vote May 20 1642 That it appears the King seduced by wicked Counsel intends to make War against the Parliament who in all their Consultations and Actions have proposed no other end unto themselves but the Care of his Kingdom and the performance of all Duty and Loyalty to his Person 2. That whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a Breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People contrary to his Oath and tending to the Dissolution of the Government 3. That whosoever shall serve or assist him in such War are Traitors by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged by two Acts of Parliament and ought to suffer as Traitors 11 Rich. 2. 1 Hen. 4. But I must hear you Pag. 10. Sir upon this Point of the first beginning of the unnatural and bloody War you suggest that he was forced to raise an Army which was after the Parliament had voted a Necessity of a War with him Will you never leave your L Doctor The Parliament did not vote a necessity of a War They indeed voted as I told you but now That it appeared that the King intended to make War against them and it was near two Months afterwards viz. the 12th of July 1642 that the Lords and Commons finding his Majesty to persist in that Intention voted that an Army should be forthwith raised for the Safety of the King's Person Defence of both Houses of Parliament and preserving of the true Religion the Laws Liberty and the Peace of the Kingdom That the Earl of Essex should be General and that they will live and die with him in this Cause and that the Earl of Bedford should be General of the Horse Nevertheless they resolved that a Petition should be presented to his Majesty by the Earl of Holland Sir John Holland and Sir Philip Stapleton to move the King to a good Accord with his Parliament to prevent a Civil War which was to the effect following Although We your Majesty's most humble and faithful Subjects the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament have been very unhappy in many former Petitions to your Majesty and with much Sorrow do perceive that your Majesty incensed by many false Calumnies and Slanders doth continue to raise Forces against us and to make great Preparations for War both in the Kingdom and from beyond the Seas yet such is our earnest desire of discharging our Duty to your Majesty and the Kingdom to preserve the Peace thereof and to prevent the Miseries of Civil War That notwithstanding we hold our selves bound to use all the Means and Power which by the Laws and Constitutions of this Kingdom we are trusted with for Defence and Protection thereof and of the Subjects from Force and Violence We do in this our humble and loyal Petition prostrate our selves at your Majesty's Feet beseeching that you will forbear and remove all Preparations and Actions of War That you will come nearer to your Parliament and hearken to their faithful Advice and humble Petitions which shall only tend to the Defence and Advancement of Religion your own Royal Honour and Safety the preservation of our Laws and Liberties And we have been and ever shall be careful to prevent and punish all Tumults and seditious Actings Speeches and Writings which may give your Majesty just cause of Distaste or apprehension of Danger And we for our Parts shall be ready to lay down all those Preparations which we have been forced to make for our Defence And for the Town of Hull and the Ordinance concerning the Militia as we have in both these Particulars only sought the preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom and the Defence of the Parliament from Force and Violence so we shall most willingly leave the Town of Hull in the state it was before Sir John Hotham drew any Forces into it delivering your Majesty's Magazine into the Tower of London We shall be ready to settle the Militia by a Bill in such a way as shall be honourable and safe for your Majesty most agreeable to the Duty of Parliament and effectual for the Good of the Kingdom that the Strength thereof be not employed against it self and that which ought to be for our Security applied to our Destruction And that the Parliament and those who profess and desire still to preserve the Protestant Religion both in this Realm and in Ireland may not be left naked and indefensible to the mischievous Designs and cruel Attempts of those who are the profess'd and confederate Enemies thereof in your Majesty's Dominions and other Neighbour Nations To which if your Majesty's Courses and Counsels shall from henceforth concur We doubt not but we shall quickly make it appear to the World by the most eminent Effects of Love and Duty That your Majesty's personal Safety your Royal Honour and Greatness are much dearer to us than our own Lives and Fortunes which we do most heartily dedicate and shall most willingly imploy for the support and maintenance thereof And now Sir I appeal to you and to all the World Whether these Men talk'd here as though they were resolved to make War and engross all into their own Hands let what would become of the King as a certain Aldgate Doctor of Divinity falsly accuses the Lords and Commons Thanks be to God Sir John Holland as well as Sir John Prattle is yet alive in Norfolk in perfect Health and Understanding and is ready to give the same account I have here given you to any Man that asks
him about it What say you next Pag. 10. Mr. Chaplain at Aldgate Why To let the World see what the King aimed at He does assure the Gentlemen whose Loyalty engaged them early on his Side and does promise them in the Presence of Almighty God and as he hopes for his Blessing and Protection that he would to the utmost of his Power defend and maintain the true Protestant Religion establish'd in the Church of England You almost provoke me Doctor to draw up a Petition to your Right Honourable and Right Reverend Diocesan to suspend you from writing DEFENCES till you swear to do them honestly then and not till then we may hope for the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth I am credibly informed that there was something more in this Speech than you are willing to acknowledg 'T is the same I take it for granted that his Majesty made at the Head of his Army between Stafford and Wellington the 19th of September 1642. He then had these Expressions also The time cannot be long before we come to Action You shall meet with no Enemies but TRAITORS MOST OF THEM â—ROWNISTS ANABAPTISTS AND ATHEISTS These were the Words of a King I shall not therefore reflect further upon them than to ask you upon the Oath which you are to take Whether you do in your Conscience believe that the Great the Good the pious King spoke Truth here Whether he had not more Atheists and Papists in his Army than the Parliament had Brownists and Anabaptists in theirs Your next Effort is this Pag. 12. You fall upon the Consideration of the Steps his Majesty made towards Peace and thus express your self Truly I think ACCORDING TO MY POOR JVDGMENT he now Acts according to what he always pretended and solemnly avowed to wit as a true Father of his Country for be proposes That HIS REVENVE MAGAZINES TOWNS SHIPS AND FORTS may be restored to him and all should be well Now I will readily agree that there is here and there found a Doctor nay a Chaplain too of a poor Judgment but one would think that he that is conscious of his own Weakness and Incapacity should not assume the Arrogance to judg in Matters of Right between Princes and their People And I will here tell you what better Heads than you or I ever wore said upon this Point The Opinion of the Parliament was That his Majesty's Towns were no more his own than his Kingdom is his own and his Kingdom is no more his own than his People are his own And if the King had a Propriety in all his Towns what would become of the Subjects Property in their Houses therein And if he had a Propriety in his Kingdom what would become of the Subjects Property in their Lands throughout the Kingdom or of their Liberties if his Majesty had the same Right in their Persons that every Subject hath in his Lands This ERRONEOVS MAXIM being infused into Princes THAT THEIR KINGDOMS ARE THEIR OWN and that they may do with them what they will AS IF THEIR KINGDOMS were for them and not they for their Kingdoms is the Root of all the Subjects Misery and of the invading of their just Rights and Liberties whereas INDEED THEY ARE ONLY INTRVSTED with their Kingdoms and with their Towns and with their People and with the Publick Treasures of the Common-Wealth and whatsoever is bought therewith and by the known Law of the Kingdom the VERY JEWELS OF THE CROWN are not the King 's PROPER Goods but are only intrusted unto him for the Vse and Ornament thereof as the Towns Forts Treasure Magazines Offices and the People of the Kingdom and the whole Kingdom it self is entrusted unto him for the Good Safety and best Advantage thereof And AS THIS TRVST IS FOR THE VSE OF THE KINGDOM SO IT OVGHT TO BE MANAGED BY THE ADVICE OF THE HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT whom the Kingdom hath trusted for that purpose it being their Duty to see it be discharged according to the condition and true indent thereof and as much as in them lies by all possible means to prevent the contrary Not to enquire what you Sir in your poor Judgment do think of this high Principle I will move with what speed I can to a Conclusion I told you not long since That the Lords and Commons voted the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex and at the same time humbly but in vain supplicated the King for Peace and to return to his Parliament When the General marched with his Forces towards the Army raised against the Parliament and Kingdom He was instructed to fight at such Time and Place as he should judg most to conduce to the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom but was also commanded to cause a Petition of both Housâ—s to be presented to his Majesty wherein they thus expressed themselves We cannot without great grief and tenderness of Compassion behold the pressing Miseries the imminent Dangers the devouring Calamities which do extreamly threaten the Kingdoms of England and Ireland by the practice of a Party prevailing with your Majesty who by many wicked Plots and Conspiracies have attempted the alteration of the true Religion and the ancient Government of this Kingdom and the introducing of POPISH IDOLATRY AND SVPERSTITION in the CHVRCH and TYRANNY and CONFVSION in the STATE And for the compassing thereof have long corrupted your Majesty's Counsels abused your Power and by sudden and untimely dissolving of the former Parliaments have often hindred the Reformation and Prevention of those Mischiefs and being now disabled to avoid the Endeavours of this Parliament by any such Means have TRAITEROVSLY attempted to over-awe the same by Force And in prosecution of their wicked Designs have EXCITED ENCOVRAGED AND FOSTER'D an unnatural REBELLION in IRELAND and have drawn your MAJESTY to make War against your Parliament as if you intended by CONQVEST to establish an ABSOLVTE ILLIMITED I OWER over them And by YOVR POWER and the countenance of your Presence have SPOILED IMPRISONED MVRDERED divers of your People And for their better assistance in these wicked Designs do seek to bring over the Rebels of Ireland to join with them WE HAVE for the just and necessary Defence of the Protestant Religion of your Majesty's Person of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and the Priviledg and Power of Parliament TAKEN VP ARMS and appointed Robert Earl of Essex to be Captain General of all the Forces by us raised and to head and conduct the same against these REBELS and TRAITORS and them to subdue and bring to condign Punishment And do most humbly beseech your Majesty to withdraw your Royal Presence and Countenance from these wicked Persons and THAT YOVR MAJESTY WILL NOT MIX YOVR OWN DANGER WITH THEIRS but in Peace and Safety forthwith return to your Parliament and by their faithful Counsel and Advice compose the present Distempers and Confusions abounding in both your Kingdoms and
provide for the Security and Honour of your Royal Posterity and the prosperous Estate of all your Subjects And we do in the presence of Almighty God profess That we will receive your Majesty with all Honour yield you all due Obedience and Subjection and faithfully endeavour to secure your Person and Estate from all Danger and to the uttermost of our Power to procure and establish to your Self and to your People all the Blessings of a glorious and happy Reign You see Sir the LORDS AND COMMONS TALK'D LIKE CHRISTIANS They were grieved at the Miseries of the Kingdoms They detested the Romish Idolatry When they sent their Army against the Enemies of the King and Kingdom they supplicate his Majesty not to mix his Danger with theirs but to return in Peace to his Parliament and compose the Distempers of his Kingdoms and provide for the Security and Honour of his Posterity They IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD PROFESS that they would receive him with all Honour yield him all due Subjection endeavour to secure him from Danger and make his Reign Glorious and Happy WHICH WORDS CERTAINLY ARE NOT THE WORDS OF TRAITORS But all this would not do for he resolved to answer their Petitions in Blood and proclaimed the Earl of Essex Rebel Yet to blind the Eyes of the Multitude and disguise his pernicious and cruel Intentions under the semblance of Peace and Justice he made as you Doctor have observed divers solemn Protestations with fearful Imprecations upon himself and invocation of God's Holy Name That he intended nothing but the Peace and Welfare of his People the maintenance of Religion and the Laws of the Kingdom and for his own security only to raise a Guard for his Person and that he did from his Soul abhor the thought of making War against the Parliament or to put the Kingdom into a Combustion Nevertheless his contrary intentions were at that very instant manifested by these ensuing Actions and Proceedings before the Parliament voted the raising of their Army He put a Garison of Souldiers into Newcastle The * Upon the 27th of Septemb. 1642 he not only allowed but required the Papists of Lancashire to provide Arms for themselves their Servants and Tenants and all without doubt for the Service of the Church of England Papists in a peremptory manner in the King's Name demanded their Arms taken from them according to the Laws to be again restored to them He caused the Mouth of the River Tine to be fortified whereby the whole Trade of Newcastle for Coals was subject to be interrupted whensoever he should please A Ship laden with Cannon for Battery Powder and Ammunition was brought for him into the River of Humber which also brought several Commanders from Foreign Parts Also divers other large Preparations of Warlike Provisions were made beyond the Sea and shortly expected besides great Numbers of Gentlemen Horses and Arms were drawn from all parts of the Kingdom and all the Gentlemen of Yorkshire required to bring in their Horses for the King's Service Commissions for raising Horse were granted and divers Officers for his Army were appointed Upon the 4th of July the King rendezvouzed an Army of a considerable number of Horse and Foot and Beverly amongst whom there were divers Papists and other Persons of desperate Fortune and Condition ready to execute any Violence Rapine and Oppression He sent some Troops of Horse into Lincolnshire to the great Terror of the People They began to take away Mens Horses by force and to commit Acts of Hostility These are sad Truths Reverend Doctor and the King having thus contrary to his solemn Protestation begun the War the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament held themselves bound in Conscience to raise Forces for the preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom and Protection of the People in their Persons and Estates according to Law and for the Defence and Security of the Parliament and accordingly upon the 12th of July 1642 and not before as I have already told you they voted the raising an Army for these purposes Now in regard as I understand you were before your Dotage a Presbyterian Minister of Essex I would gladly set your poor Judgment right in this great Point of as well the Necessity as Justice of the Parliament War and in regard that I find you prejudiced against Dr. Seaman and Mr. Calamy I will not offer their Opinion to you but pray see what the learned and pious Mr. Daniel Rogers of Wethersfield Mr. Matthew Newcomen of Dedham and above sixty eminent Ministers of so many several Towns in Essex left under their hands in relation to this Controversy between you and me We say they call the God of Heaven and Earth to witness upon our Souls that it was not hatred to any Party or Person much less to the Person of OUR KING that first drew â—â—s to engage with and for the PARLIAMENT but clearly this some Years before the assembling of this Parliament we evidently saw the Affairs of Church and State in imminent and apparent hazardâ— many and great Alterations made in Doctrine Innovations in Worship the Power of Godliness disgrac'd true Religion undermined the faithful and conscientious Professors of it persecuted even to Bonds Flight and Imprisonment POPERY CONNIVED AT COUNTENANCED COURTED besides many grievous Oppressions of the Subjects in their Liberties and Properties These things we saw and signed for but had no thoughts of inviting any to make Resistance tho against the abused Name and Power of a misguided King whom we much pitied in his Miscarriages until it pleased God to bless us with A PARLIAMENT THE ORDINARY MEANS WHICH HE HATH APPOINTED IN THIS NATION FOR THE REDRESSING OF SUCH GROWING EVILS The Parliament meet declare their Apprehensions of the Danger of CHURCH AND STATE apply themselves to all humble and submiss ways by PETITIONS See the Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Decemb. 15. 1641. REMONSTRANCES c. speak nothing but honourably of the King lay the blame of all Miscarriages upon Evil Counsellors require them to Trial But God for our Sins and his shuts up his Majesty's Heart against these Addresses instead of yielding up those whom the Parliament demands he demands some of their Members seconds his Demand with a. Face of Violence And HERE BEGAN THAT MOST UNHAPPY BREACH the Parliament upon this desire a Guard the King apprehended OR PRETENDED Terror he leaves his Parliament upon it and UNDER SHADOW OF A GUARD for his Person RAISETH AN ARMY sets up his STANDARD c. The Story is too long and sad for us to relate but hence arose that Fire which since hath burnt almost to the very Foundation and who knows when it will be quenched The Parliament seeing which way the Counsels of the King steered apprehend a necessity of raising Arms FOR THE DEFENCE OF THEMSELVES AND THE KINGDOM When the War was first commenced their Army carried a Petition in the one hand as well as a
KING JAMES AND PRINCE HENRY HIS SON CAME TO A TIMELY DEATH YEA OR NO Some Parliaments have been but short-liv'd when there was but a muttering that enquiry should be made of their Deaths It would search to the quick to know WHETHER ROCHEL and all THE PROTESTANTS in it were not betrayed into the hands of their Enemies AND BY WHOM It would go to the quick to find out WHETHER THE IRISH REBELLION was not plotted promoted countenanced and contrived in England AND BY WHOM Now I hope Reverend Sir that you will not have the face to deny but Mr. Love was a Consciencious and Pious Divine and I will finish this Head in telling you though a little out of course that the Earls of Northumberland Pembroke Salisbury and Denbigh with the Lord Wainman Sir Henry Vane Mr. Pierepont Mr. Holles Mr. Prideaux Mr. St. John Mr. Whitlock and Mr. Câ—â—w Commissioners for the Parliament in the Treaty we have been talking of were as well as you boast the King's Comnissioners to have been Men of Honour and Honesty Men of Fortunes and Estates Men of great Parts and Endowments who understood the Business they went about and were very fond of healing the Nations Breaches and putting things into such a posture as might settle the King upon his just Rights and the People upon their ancient Priviledges Well Sir for my own Comfort if not for yours I purpose to trouble my self at least at this present with but one thing more in your Tract You say That the Scots notwithstanding all their Promises and Obligations SELL THE KING TO THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT 'T is a Divine Truth Men are not only ignorant because they cannot but because they will not know the Truth And I cannot conceive that you believe what you here assert Therefore that my Country-men may be undeceived and our Brethren of Scotland vindicated I will set this Matter in its true Light The King had fled to the Scotish Army at Newcastle then in the Parliament's Service and Pay there Propositions for Peace were made unto him which he rejected The War being happily ended the Parliament were in arrear to the Scots for their assistance in it Four hundred thousand Pounds It was agreed that half that Sum should be presently paid upon receipt whereof the Scots were to deliver up not the King but Berwick Newcastle and Carlisle to the Parliament 'T is far from Truth that this was the Price of the King for the Parliament freely granted to the Scots that they might carry him if they pleased to Edinburgh But they refused it affirming that by his Presence in an unsettled Nation new Commotions might arise They rather desired which was also the King's desire that he might be carried into the Southern parts of England and live in some of his Palaces near London which they thought more convenient for treating of a Peace So that in all the whole Debate they seemed to contend not who should have the King but who should not have him Nevertheless to cast a slander upon both Nations for certainly 't is as wicked a thing to buy as to sell such Merchandize You Sir will have it that the Scots sold him the English bought him but WILFULNESS EVER WAS THE GREATEST BLINDNESS Reverend Sir I shall for the present discharge you and my self from further trouble You think I suppose that you make me a very merciful Offer That if I will repent and do so no more I may hope to live in Peace and you will not further lash me with any more such Scourges as I have been but now tortured with but if I shall persist and appear incorrigible you have more Rods in Piss and will pay me off You have much more to say in the behalf of King Charles the First 't is well if you have for I am sure 't is very little that you have hitherto said and you assure me I shall have it and resolve That as long as you can hold a Pen in your Hand you will not drop his Cause There 's no Remedy then but I must abide your Fury for I resolve never to ask Forgiveness and promise to do so no more But on the contrary to write on as I have leisure and you give me occasion in the defence of the Laws and Liberties of my Country Upon which Subject I have much more to say and if you will not be quiet you shall have it I love the Cause too well to drop it and will wear my Steell Pen to the stumps in its defence And Now seeing we are eternally to differ in this Point I desire to settle two things with you for the more orderly Prosecution of this dreadful War 1. That we as Duellists agree the length of their Weapons may resolve how often to trouble the World with our Impertinencies I think once or if you will have it so twice because there are TWO MADDING-DAYS in a Year may suffice 2. That after you have fairly answer'd this and my former Letter by falsifying which as a Preliminary I shall expect from you the many particular Instances I have brought to shew that your admired Prince was a Tyrant or else to prove that they are not Acts or Evidences of Tyranny you would then in the further Prosecution of that Defence which you have undertaken and indeed of Criminating one of the greatest and best deserving Parliaments that even England saw lay aside your loose and general way of discoursing and come to Particulars when you shall so proceed and are failed of a clear Answer then and not till then the day will be your own For tho throughout your whole Discourse which I have been examining you Rebellize the Lords and Commons and fly in the Face of the Parliament with the King 's gracious MESSAGES SAYINGS c. Othâ—â—s may upon better grounds sum up the humble condescending convincing PETITIONS MESSAGES DECLARATIONS c. of the Parliament and dash them all into your Face than you can those Messages and Sayings of the King into the Faces of all who declare that he was a proud Nimrod a hardened Pharaoh in plain English A MERCILESS TYRANT Lastly To encourage you to further Conversation with me the some Men are so impudent as to say that it is not Day when the Sun it self doth shire you shall see that I am not resolved against Conviction but that being under the Command of good Manners I rest not satisfied in the Confession which I made in the beginning of this Letter of an Error committed in my former in relation to the Noble Lord Conway sometime Secretary of State to King Charles the First but shall more fully do it in this place Being misguided by the Printer's Mistake in Rushworth's first Collections from whence I took it I was led to say in my last Year's Letter pag. 7. That the Lord Conway said in Parliament that he never hated Popery whereas his words were that he ever hared it and I have now certain ground
could intend no other than such a one as France is now plagued with it may signify King in that Language In our plain English 't is downright Tyrant When it was urged that his requiring SHIP-MONEY was unprecedented His haughty Answer was That Precedents were not wanting for the Punishment of those that disobey the King's Commands and that State-Occasions were not to be guided by ordinary Precedents Those that refused to subscribe to the Loan were put out of the Commissions of the Lieutenancy and the Peace and also imprisoned and the Refusers of the meaner Rank were bound to appear and be enrolled for Souldiers to be sent for Denmark or were impressed to serve in the King's Ships Here now is a ready way not only for the raising of Money but also an Army for Flanders and Sailers for our Fleet. But all your Rhetorick Reverend Sir will not work upon their Majesties to imitate your good and great Man in these things neither 5. YOUR MARTYR suspended Dr. ABBOT Archbishop of Canterbury who was a Man that wholly followed the true Interest of England and that of the Reformed Churches in Europe so far as that in his time the CLERGY was not much envied here in England nor the Government of Episcopacy much disfavoured by Protestants beyond the Seas I say HE SUSPENDED this Excellent Person and also CONFINED him because to use his own words HE REFUSED TO MAKE THAT GOOD BY Divinity WHICH THE King HAD DONE AGAINST THE LAWS HE also thrust Dr. WILLIAMS Bishop of Lincoln from the place of Lord Keeper and his Presence and the Council-Table for appearing in Parliament against the Kingdom 's great Grievance the Duke of Buckingham and afterwards he imprisoned him in the Tower for speaking against the Loan for refusing to allow Proceedings against Puritans and prophesying that the Puritans would carry all at last I doubt Doctor that should the King and Queen imitate their Grandfather in these Practices you would find your self AS IT WERE overwhelm'd with Sorrow and that such Actions would swell your Grief above its usual Banks if not stir your Indignation 6. THE TYRANT resolving to subvert the Liberties and Estates of the Subjects to his Will and Pleasure removed that grave and learned Judg Sir Randolph Crew from the place of Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench because he had declared himself against the Loan and would not serve his turn in declaring that the King might legally imprison Men durante beneplacito My Life for yours Doctor their present Majesties will never follow this Example of your PATTERN FOR PRINCES 7. HE upon the 30th of JANVARY of all the days in the Year 1627 sent a Privy-Seal to the Treasury for the remitting 30000 l. into Holland to Burlemark a Merchant to be employed for levying Horse and Men to be brought into England to support his Tyranny And can you think their Majesties will ever write after this Copy 8. HE had no sooner passed the PETITION OF RIGHT into a Law than he was found to violate it by billeting of Souldiers and levying the Subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage which determined by his Father's Death and were never payable to any his Ancestors but only by special Act of Parliament And what Opinion have you of King William and Queen Mary in reference as this Point my good Doctor 9. HE kept the Earl of Bristol under Confinement near two Years without being charged with any Accusation or brought to Trial And HE committed the Earl of Arundel to the Tower in the time of Parliament without expressing any Cause of his Commitment in Violation of the Priviledges of the Peers Ple warrant you Sir you 'l never find their present Majesties at this Work 10. HE upheld and shelter'd the Grand Enemies of the Common-wealth When the Duke of Buckingham was prosecuted in Parliament as the principal Patron and Supporter of a Popish Faction set on Foot to the danger of the CHURCH and STATE THE KING interposed to rescue him When the Commons impeach'd him and by one of their Articles charg'd him in effect WITH THE MURDER OF KING JAMES THE KING told the House of Lords That to aprove Buckingham's Innocence HE could be a Witness to clear him in every one of the Articles HE told the House of Commons That he would not allow any of his Servants to be questioned amongst them much less such as were near him That he saw they aimed at the Duke but assured them he had not intermedied nor done any thing concerning the Publick but by his special Directions He added That he wondred at the FOOLISH IMPUDENCE of any Man to think that he should be drawn to offer such a Sacrifice HE dissolved three Parliaments when they were intent upon the prosecution of the Duke We are still at a loss good Doctor this will not pass with our King and Queen we shall never hear them speak or act at this rate 11. HE imprisoned several Members of the House of Commons during the Parliament for refusing to answer out of Parliament what was said and done in Parliament HE imprisoned others for managing a Conference with the Lords upon their impeaching the Duke HE in the time of Parliament sent Warrants for sealing up the Studies of other Members and he caused the imprisoned Members to be shifted and toss'd from Goal to Goal to deprive them by that wicked Artifice of the Fruit of their Habeas Corpus and of the Benefit of Free-born Subjects for the obtaining their Liberty thus were they long detained in Prison The brave Sir John Eâ—ios ended his days in the Tower not without suspicion of foul play I am sure Sir you will not recommend these vertuous Practices to the imitation of their Majesties 12. HE struck at the very Being of Parliaments he sent a threatning Message to the Commons that if he had not a timely Supply he would betake himself to NEW COUNSELS At another time he said to the Lords and Commons REMEMBER THAT PARLIAMENTS ARE ALTOGETHER IN MY POWER THEREFORE as I find the Fruits of them Good or Evil THEY ARE TO CONTINVE OR NOT TO BE. HE told the Parliment the 17th of March 1627 That if they should not contribute what the State needed he must use OTHER MEANS And his Lord Keeper added That if the King found the Readiness of their Supplies be might the better forbear the use of his Prerogative That the King those that way of Parliament not as the only way but as firtest not as destitute of others but AS MOST AGREE ABLE TO HIS DISPOSITIon You will readily agree with me dear Sir that King William hath not learn'd this way of speaking to Parliaments I have now Reverend Sir briefly run over my former Letter and thence presented you with a Bone to pick indeed a dozen as luck will have it and I could have doubled the number but for the present I conclude these may stay your Stomach this being a Fasting-Day I must now tell you
bless and sanctify by thy Word and Spirit these Creatures of Bread and Wine that they may be to us THE BODY AND BLOOD of thy beloved Son In a word the Scots affirmed that all the material Parts of the Mass-Book were seminally in this and they could not relish it that Laud and his Set of English Bishops should urge them to a Liturgy more Popish than their own and observed that for Vnity they were content to meet Rome rather than Scotland The Book being read by a Bishop in the City of Edinburgh the People expressed great detestation thereof and the Bishop who read it had probably been slain coming out of the Church had not a Noble-man rescued him The Nobility Gentry and Ministers petitioned against it The King threatned to prosecute them as Rebels and commanded the Council to receive no more Petitions Thereupon several of the Nobility in the Name of the Petitioners made a Protestation that the Service-Book was full of Superstition and Idolatry and ought not to be obtruded upon them without consent of a National Synod which in such Cases should judg That it was unjust to deny them Liberty to accuse the Bishops being guilty of High Crimes of which till they were cleared they did reject them as Judges or Governours of them They justified their own Meetings and subscribing to Petitions as being to defend the Glory of God the King's Honour and Liberties of the Realm The Scots concluded to renew the COVENANT which had been made and sealed under King James 's Hand in the Year 1580 afterwards confirmed by all the Estates of the Kingdom and Decree of the National Synod in 1581 THIS COVENANT was for the Defence of the PVRITY OF RELIGION and the King's Person and Rights against the Church of Rome This was begun in February 1638 and was so fast subscribed throughout the Kingdom that before the end of April he was scarce accounted one of the Reformed Religion that had not subscribed the Covenant The Non Covenanters were Papists not exceeding 600 in number throughout the Kingdom Statesmen in Office and Favour at that time and some few Protestants who were affected to the Ceremonies of England and Book of Common Prayer The King sent the Marquess of Hamilton to deal with the Scots to renounce their Covenant but they affirmed It could not be done without manifest Perjury and Profanation of God's Name and insisted to have the Service-Book utterly abolished it being obtruded against all Law upon them That their Meetings were lawful and such as they would not forsake until the Purity of Religion and Peace might be fully settled by a free and National Synod And they declared THAT THE POWER OF CALLING A SYNOD IN CASE THE PRINCE BE AN ENEMY TO THE TRVTH OR NEGLIGENT IN PROMOTING THE CHVRCHES GOOD IS IN THE CHVRCH IT SELF And that the State of the Church at that time necessitated such a course The King at length fearing lest the Covenanters if he delayed would do it themselves called a National Synod to begin at Glasgow the 21st of November 1638 but within seven days it was dissolved by the Marquess of Hamilton in the King's Name and they commanded to sit no more But they protested against that Dissolution and continued the Synod when the Marquess of Hamilton was gone and deposed all the Bishops condemned the Liturgy took away the High-Commission Court and whatsoever had crept into the Church since the Year 1580 when the NATIONAL COVENANT was first established When they themselves broke up the Synod they wrote a Letter of Thanks to the King and published a Declaration Feb. 4. 1638 directed to all the sincere and good Christians in England to vindicate their Actions and Intentions from those Aspersions which Enemies might throw upon them This Declaration was welcome to the People of England in general and especially to those who stood best affected to the Reformed Religion and the Laws and Liberties of their Country In fine the Scots are declared Rebels and the King in Person with an English Army resolved to chastise them But The generality of the Nation detested the War knowing that the Scots were innocent and wronged by the same Hand that they were oppressed and they concluded that the same Sword which subdued the Scots must destroy their own Liberties Yet glad they seem'd to be that such an Occasion happen'd which might in reason necessitate the King to call an English Parliament but whilst he could make any other shift how low and dishonourable soever he would not endure to think of a Parliament He borrowed great Sums of Money of the Nobility and required Loans of others and the CLERGY contributed liberally to this VVar which was called BELLVM EPISCOPALE THE BISHOPS WAR The King being animated to the War by the Bishops both of England and Scotland the last perswading him that the COVENANTERS were in no sort able to resist him that scarce any English Army at all would be needful to fight but only to appear and his MAJESTY would find a Party great enough in SCOTLAND to do the VVork He thereupon raised a gallant Army which rendezvouzed at York The Scots likewise to render the King unwilling or unable to be a Tyrant levied a brave Army which advanced forward under the Command of General Lesley They nevertheless continued their first course of Petitioning the King which being favoured by almost all the Nobility of England at last by the happy Mediation of those Wife and Noble Counsellors a PACIFICATION to the great Joy of all good Men was solemnly concluded on the 18th of June 1639 and the King granted them a free National Synod to be holden August 6 and a Parliament to begin the 20th to ratify what the Synod should decree Hereupon the English and Scots returned home praising God who without any effusion of Blood had compounded this Difference and prevented a War so wickedly design'd But Shortly after the King's return to London his Heart was again estranged from the Scots and thoughts of Peace and he commanded the PACIFICATION to be burnt by the Hands of the common Hangman An Act than which nothing could more blemish his Reputation as rendring him not to be believed for any thing For what Tie would hold him when the Engagement of his Word his Royal VVord given in sight of God and Man could not bind And having upon the 18th of December broke up the Scotch Parliament he began to prepare for a new VVar. The Scots complained that it was a Breach of their Liberties not heard of before in twenty Ages That a Parliament should be dissolved without their Consent whilst Business of Moment was depending That whatsoever Kings in other Kingdoms might do it concerned not them to enquire but it was absolutely against their Laws They hereupon sent four Earls as their Commissioners to the King to complain that nothing was performed which he had promised at the PACIFICATION and to intreat redress of those Injuries which had
yielding up the Claim of Ship-Money to be an Act of pure Grace for very able Lawyers gave their Opinion that the King might exact it by Law and so I have told you did as able and no less knavish Divines But hearken I beseech you what the Wisdom of Parliament told him They declared it a new and unheard of Tax they voted it a most illegal Taxation and unsufferable Grievance they look'd into the Carriage of those Judges who advised the King in this matter and found that Sir JOHN FINCH a Gentleman of good Birth of an high and imperious Spirit ELOQUENT IN SPEECH tho in the knowledg of the Law not very deep in the Year 1636 when Ship-Money was first plotted and set on foot was made Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas and it appeared that by his Brokage and Sollicitation and that with Threats and Promises several of the Judges were wrought upon to give it under their hand that the King might by Law exact Ship-Money Thereupon an Impeachment of High Treason was drawn up against him and the great Lord FAVLKLAND tho an Admirer of the Church as you tell me presented it to the Lords with a very pithy and sharp Oration against Finch but he being at this time Lord-Keeper not daring to abide the Test took his Wings and fled in a disguise to Holland In Conclusion the Arbitrary Power pretended to be in the King of taxing the Subject without Consent in Parliament was not only declared to be against Law by the Judgment of both Houses but also by Act of Parliament Thus we rid our Hands of SHIP-MONEY And Now indeed Sir you come to that which might well raise your Choler and stir your Indignation The King passed a Bill to remove the Bishops out of the House of Lords he also passed a Bill for attainting the great Earl of Strafford which offered Violence to the Peace and Quiet of his Mind all the days of his Life To tell you the Truth Doctor the Parliament found the Bishops of that day to be the Troublers of the State and that it was by consequence become most necessary to abridg their immoderate Power usurped over the Clergy and other good Subjects which they had most maliciously abused to the hazard of Religion and great Prejudice and Oppression of the Laws of the Kingdom and just Liberty of the Subject They had cherish'd Formality and Superstition as the probable Supports of their own Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Vsurpation they had multiplied and enlarged the Differences between the common Protestants and those whom they called Puritans under which Name they included all those that desired to preserve the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and to maintain the true Protestant Religion They had been designing a Conjunction between Papists and Protestants in Doctrine Discipline and Ceremonies only it must not yet be called Popery They had triumphed in the Suspensions Excommunications Deprivations and Degradations of divers learned and pious Ministers in the Vexation and grievous Oppression of great numbers of the People whereby many thousands were impoverished and others were so afflicted and troubled by them that great numbers departed into New-England and other parts of America others into Holland The most of the Preaching that was allowed was degenerate into railing against Parliaments and Puritans because they were tenacious of just Liberty and true Religion crying up Absolute Authority Passive Obedience c. Streins of Wit fitter for a Stage than a Pulpit After the Dissolution of the Parliament in May 1640 They continued the Convocation and by unheard-of Presumption they made Canons contrary to the King's Prerogative to the Fundamental Laws of the Realm to the Right of Parliaments to the Property and Liberty of the Subject thereby establishing their own Vsurpations justifying their Altar-Worship and other Superstitious Innovations which they had formerly introduced without Warrant of Law they imposed a new Oath on the Subjects for maintenance of their own Tyranny and laid a great Tax upon the Clergy And now to sill up the measure of their Iniquity the House of Lords upon the 30th of December 1641 at a Conference with the Commons told them that the Bishops by a Protestation which they made to the King and Lords had deeply intrenched upon the Fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliament whereupon the Commons impeached twelve of them of High-Treason in endeavouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and the very Being of Parliaments and they were by the House of Peers sequestred from Parliament committed to the Tower and shortly after by Act of Parliament most deservedly deprived of voting in the House of Peers I hope good Doctor you will acquiesce in the Reasons which I have here offered for the passing this Bill of Exclusion but the other Bill for attainting the great Earl of Strafford you say offered Violence to the Peace and Quiet of the King's Mind all the days of his Life This great Man who had long run on in a full Career to establish Tyranny trampling down the Peoples Liberties leaping the Hedges of the Laws or making Gaps through them was impeached by the Commons in many Articles some whereof were for ruling Ireland or which he had been Lord-Lieutenant in an Arbitrary way against the Fundamental Laws which he had endeavoured to subvert For abusing his Power to the increase and encouragement of Papists for maliciously endeavouring to stir up Hostility between England and Scotland for labouring to subvert Parliaments and incense the King against them for levying Money by force of Arms for imposing an Oath upon the Subjects That they should not protest against any of the King's Commands for telling the King That he had an Army in Ireland which his Majesty might imploy to reduce this Kingdom to Obedience Upon this Impeachment the Earl was brought to Trial before the Lords which lasted from the 22d of March with but few days intermission till the midst of April After this long Trial the Commons voted him guilty of High-Treason in divers Particulars and drew up and passed a Bill of Attainder against him but 59 dissenting This Bill being carried to the Lords the King's Sollicitor General made it good by Law to the satisfaction of almost all that heard him The Judges also delivered their Opinions That the Matters proved against him amounted to Treason and so the Lords passed the Bill The King having after this called all the Judges to deliver their Opinions before him and also sent for FOUR BISHOPS TO RESOLVE HIM UPON SCRUPLE OF CONSCIENCE He at length gave the Royal Assent to this Bill Prithee now Doctor tell me what ail'd your Martyr's Conscience at this time There must be something extraordinary and not commonly taken notice of in this Matter that must as you affirm offer Violence to the Peace and Quiet of his Mind all the Days of his Life You know he exacted the Ship-Money without scruple of Conscience upon the Advice of some Lawyers And
though they retracted their Opinions both Houses of Parliament voted and his Majesty at length acknowledged it to be an illegal and unjust Exaction Yet that Guilt soon were off and we never heard that thereby or by any other of the almost innumerable Oppressions of his People no nor by his destroying the poor Protestants of Rochel the Quiet of his Mind was any way disturbed Now in the Case we are upon here was a fair and most solemn Trial The Lords and Commons voted the Crimes Treason The King's Counsel and Judges avowed the same The Bishops MARK THAT DOCTOR pick'd the Thorn out of his Conscience Nevertheless his passing this Bill violated the Peace of his Mind all the days of his Life To offer something towards the enlightning you in this Matter allow me to remind you what you have before read When the Duke of Buckingham was impeached for Treason this same King told the Parliament THAT BVCKINGHAM HAD NOT INTERMEDLED NOR DONE ANY THING CONCERNING THE PURBLICK BUT BY HIS SPECIAL DIRECTIONS Now I have a strong fancy that the unhappy Earl of Strafford ' s Case was the same with the Duke's 'T is a mischievous Conscience with whom one good Deed is so hard to pass down as to endanger almost a choaking and bad Deeds without number tho as big and as bulky as the Buin of three Kingdoms go down currently without straining and that it disturbed the Quiet of the King's Mind that he could not preserve this as he had done his other Servant in the execution of his own Commands And no marvel it stung his Conscience to adjudg to death those Misdeeds whereof himself had been the chief Author In the next place good Doctor you inform us That the King signed a Bill for a Triennial Parliament which certainly was as great a condescention as was ever made by a Prince I Why now 't is very unlucky Doctor that when you think your self certainly in the right you are most undoubtedly in the wrong for this Act for a TRIENNIAL PARLIAMENT did not extend to so much as by Law the Parliament ought to have required there being at that time two Statutes of Edward 3d in force for a Parliament to be holden once a Year But now you bring me to an Act of superabundant Grace Pag. 6. you say That he passed an Act for the Parliament to sit during pleasure This was something indeed we must therefore examine what Reasons the Parliament had to insist upon this Bill and what the Motives were that brought the King to comply herein It appeared most evidently to both Houses by the Examinations and Confessions of several of the Criminals that sometime before the passing of the Bill for the continuance of the Parliament which was upon the 10th of May 1641. The KING had been tampering with the Army which he had raised against the Scots and which lay undisbanded in the North to bring them up to curb the Parliament and subdue them to his Will Many great Men were found to be engaged in this Conspiracy viz. Mr. Piercy Brother to the Earl of Northumberland Mr. Henry Jermin the Queen's Favourite afterwards Earl of St. Albans Mr. Goring eldest Son to the Lord Goring Mr. Wilmot the Lord Wilmot's eldest Son Sir John Suckling Colonel Ashburnham Pollard Oneal an Irish Papist and many others these had taken an Oath of Secrecy among themselves To joyn with this Army and strengthen the Plot a French Army was to be landed at Portsmouth which Town for that purpose was to be put into Mr. Jermyn's hands and the * The Parliament had addressed the King to disband this Army but he answer'd That he would not allow of the disbanding the Irish Army for divers Reasons best known to himself Irish Army consisting of 8000 almost all Papists was to be brought over Upon the Discovery of this horrid Plot Piercy †Jermin after this Discovery went off with a Pass under the King 's own Hand which commanded the Governour of Portsmouth to provide with all speed a Ship to carry him to any Port of France Jermin and Suckling fled into France Goring being taken made an ingenuous Confession and so was discharged Oneal Wilmot Ashburnham and others were committed to the Tower from whence Oneal was permitted to make his Escape Mr. Piercy by a Letter from beyond the Seas to his Brother the Earl of Northumberland dated the 14th of June confessed much of this Conspiracy in particular the taking the Oath of Secrecy And that they had agreed to engage the Army to stand by the King against the Parliament in The preserving the Bishops Functions and Votes The not disbanding the Irish Army till the Scots were disbanded The endeavouring to settle his Revenue to that proportion it was formerly That he imparted all this to the King and perceived that he had been treated with by others concerning something of the Army which did not agree with those Proposals BUT INCLINED A WAY MORE HIGH AND SHARP NOT HAVING LIMITS EITHER OF HONOUR OR LAW That Goring and Jermin were acquainted with the other Proceedings and that the King pressed Mr. Piercy to admit them to consultation To which he having yielded and sworn them to Secrecy acquainted them what he had proposed but HE FOVND THEIR PROPOSALS DIFFERED FROM HIS IN VIOLENCE AND HEIGHT Colonel Goring confessed upon his Examination that Jermin carried him to the King who asked him If he was engaged in any CABAL concerning the Army To which Goring answering That he was not The King said I command you then to join your self with Piercy and some others whom you will find with him at his Lodgings That he thereupon went and found with Mr. Piercy Wilmot Oneal and others That he and Jermin having first taken the Oath of Secrecy which the others had taken before Mr. Piercy made his Propositions viz. That the Army should presently be put into a posture to serve the King and then should send up a Declaration to the Parliament of these Particulars That nothing should be done in Parliament contrary to any former Act of Parliament and the King's Revenne be establish'd That Jermin propounded that the Army should be immediately brought to London and they SHOVLD MAKE SVRE OF THE TOWER and he confessed that he himself urged these things to shew the Vanity and Danger of the other Propositions without undertaking these Lieutenant Colonel Ballard and Capt. Chudleigh confessed that the French that were about London were to be mounted and would join with the Army and that the Clergy would raise 1000 Horse to assist them And Chudleigh added that the Queen had sent down Money to fortify PORTSMOUTH Further that Mr. Jermin ask'd him if he thought the Army would stick to their Officers in case the King and Parliament should not agree It further appeared by the Confessions of Sir Jacob Ashley Sir John Conniers and Capt. Legg eminent Commanders in the King's Army that Oneal the Papist was a