His Mind for His Affections were temperate He was of a most healthful Constitution and after the infirmities of His Childhood was never sick Once He had the small Pox but the Malignity of it was so small that it altered not His Stomach nor put Him to the abstinence of one Meal neither did it detain Him above a fortnight under the Care of His Physicians He was the Father of Four Sons and Five Daughters His Children 1. Charles James born at Greenwich on Wednesday May 13. 1628. but died almost as soon as born having been first Christned 2. Charles Duke of Cornwall and Prince of Wales born at Saint James's May 29. 1630. whom after a fellowship in the Sufferings of His Father some brave but unsuccessful attempts to recover the Rights of His Inheritance and twelve years various fortune abroad God was pleased by a wonderful Providence without blood or ruine to conduct to His Native Throne and make Him the Restorer of Peace to a People wearied and wasted almost to a Desolation by several changes of Government and Variety of reproachful Usurpers that they became the Scorn of Neighbouring Nations and the miserable Example of a disquiet Community so torn in pieces by Factions in the State and Schisms in the Church each party mutually armed to suppress its contrary and destroy the publick that it was impossible for them to re-unite or consent in common to seek the benefits of Society until they had submitted to Him as to the common Soul to be governed by Him in the paths of Justice He is now and long may He be so our Dread Sovereign CHARLES II. 3. James born in the same place Octob. 13. Anno 1633. entituled Duke of York by His Majesty's Command at His Birth and afterwards so Created He was a Companion of His Brother in Exile spending His time abroad both in the French and Spanish Camps with Glory and returned with Him into England 4. Henry Duke of Gloucester born in the same place July 8. 1639. who after the Death of His Father was by the Parricides permitted to go beyond Sea to His Mother with the promise of an Annual Pension which they never intended to pay A very hopeful Prince who resisted the strong practices of some in the Queen's Court to seduce Him to the Church of Rome which His Brother hearing sent for Him into Flanders and He also attended Him to His Throne but not long after died of the Small Pox Sept. 13. Anno 1660. 5. Mary born on Novemb. 4. Anno 1631. married to Count William of Nassau Eldest Son to Henry Prince of Orange by whom she was left a Widow and a short time after the Mother of the now Prince of Orange and coming over to visit her Brothers and the place of her Nativity she died also of the Small Pox Decemb. 24. Anno 1660. 6. Elizabeth born Jan. 28. Anno 1635. who survived her Father but lived not to see the Restoring the Royal Family dying at Carisbrook the place of her Father's Captivity being removed thither by the Murtherers that the place might raise a grief to end her Days 7. Anne born March 17. Anno 1637. died before her Father 8. Katharine who died almost as soon as born 9. Henrietta born at Exeter June 16. Anno 1644. in the midst of the Wars conveyed not long after by the Lady Dalkeith into France to her Mother and is now marryed to the Duke of Anjou only Brother to the King of France Having left this Issue He died in the forty ninth year of His Age and 23. of His Reign having lived Much rather than Long and left so many great and difficult Examples as will busie Good Princes to imitate and Bad ones to wonder at A man in Office and mind like to that Spiritual Being which the more men understand the more they Admire and Love and that may be said of Him which was said of that Excellent Roman who sought Glory by Vertue Homo Virtuti simillimus per omnia Ingenio Diis quà m Hominibus propior Qui nunquam quam rectè fecit ut rectè facere videretur sed quia aliter facere non poterat Cuique id solum visum est Rationem habere quod haberet Justitiam Omnibus humanis vitiis Immunis semper in Potestate sua Fortunam habuit Vell. Paterc lib. 2. M. S. Sanctissimi Regis Martyris CAROLI Primi Siste Viator Luge Obmutesce Mirare Memento CAROLI ILLIUS Nominis pariter insignissimae Pietatis PRIMI MAGNAE BRITANNIAE ILLIUS Qui Rebellium Perfidiâ primò deceptus Dein Perfidorum Rabie percussus Inconcussus tamen LEGUM FIDEI DEFENSOR Schismaticorum Tyrannidi succubuit Anno Salutis Humanae MDCXLVIII Servitutis Britannicae Primo Felicitatis Suae Primo Coronâ Terrestri spoliatus Coelesti donatus Sed Sileant periturae Tabellae Perlege RELIQUIAS verè Sacras CAROLINAS In Queis Ipsa Sui Iconem Aere perenniorem vivaciùs exprimit ' ΕΙΚΩ'ΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ ' CAROLI Primi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epitaphium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SIstas sacrilegum Pedem Viator Nè forsan temeres sacros sepulchri Augusti Cineres Repôstus hîc est In Terrae Gremio Decor Stupórque Humani Generis Senex Infans Prudens scilicet Innocéns que Princeps Regni Praesidium Ruina Regni Vitâ Praesidium Ruina Morte Quem Regem potiùs Patrém ve dicam O Patrem priùs deinde Regem Regem quippe Suî Patrémque Regni Hic Donúmque Dei DeÃque Cura Quem Vitáque refert refértque Morte Ringente Satanâ Canente Coelo Diro in Pegmate Gloriae Theatro Et Christi Cruce Victor Securi Baptistae emicuit Ruina Felix Quâ Divum Carolus secutus Agnum Et postliminio domum vocatus Primaevae Patriae fit Inquilinus Sic Lucis priùs Hesperus Cadentis Resplendet modò Phosphorus Reversae Epitaphium Hic Vindex Fidei sacer Vetustae Cui par est nihil nihil secundum Naturae Typus absolutioris Fortunae Domitor ferendo suae Qui quantum Calicis bibit tremendi Tantundem sibi Gloriae reportat Regum Maximus unicúsque Regum In quo Res minima est fuisse Regem Solus qui superâ locatus Arce Vel Vitâ poterit frui priore Quum sint Relliquiae Cadaver Umbra Tam sacri Capitis vel ipsa sacra Ipsis Eulogiis coinquinata Quaeque ipsum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophanat Sistas sacrilegum Pedem Viator Tho. Pierce D. D. Coll. Magd. apud Oxon. Praeses An EPITAPH upon KING CHARLES SO falls that stately Cedar while it stood That was the only glory of the Wood Great Charles thou earthly God celestial Ma Whose life like others though it were a span Yet in that span was comprehended more Than Earth hath waters or the Ocean shore Thy heavenly virtues Angels should rehearse It is a theam too high for humane Verse He that would know thee right then let him 〈◊〉 Vpon thy rare incomparable Book And read it o're and o're which if he do Hee 'l find thee King and Priest and Prophet too And sadly see our loss and though in vain With fruitless wishes call thee back again Nor shall oblivion sit upon thy Herse Though there were neither Monument nor Verse Thy Suff'rings and thy Death let no man name It was thy Glory but the Kingdoms Shame J.H. ΜΑ'ΡΤΥΣ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΚΑ'ΡΟΛΟΣ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE CONTENTS Anno MDC KIng CHARLES His Lineage and Birth Page 1. MDCII A presage of His Succession to the Crown p. 3. MDCIV. He is Created Duke of York His proficiency in his Studies p. 4. MDCXII His Succession in the Dukedom of Cornwall His Juvenile Exercises p. 5. MDCXVI He is Created Prince of Wales p. 7. MDCXVIII The Death of Queen Anne His great improvement in Theological Controversies p. 9. MDCXXII His Journey into Spain and the success of it p. 11. MDCXXIII His Return The Proposal of a Match with France p. 15. MDCXXV King James his death His Succession in the Kingdom The State of it at his first coming to it His Coronation p. 16. MDCXXVII The Expedition to the Isle of Rhee Assistance afforded to Rochel p. 25. MDCXXX The Birth of Prince CHARLES p. 31. MDCXXXII Tumults in Ireland Lord Strafford sent Deputy thither p. 34 MDCXXXIII His Journey into Scotland and Corenation there p. 35. MDCXXXIV The business of Ship-money p. 38. MDCXXXVII Troubles began in Scotland and upon what pretence p. 43. MDCXXXIX An agreement made with the Scots p. 47. MDCXL An Army raised against the Scots A Parliament called p. 49. MDCXLI The Arraignment and Execution of the Earl of Strafford The Factious Designs of the Zealots in the Parliament p. 54. The Rebellion in Ireland p. 69. The Queens departure out of England p. 87. The Kings withdrawment from London p. 90. His repulse at Hull by Hotham p. 94. Armies raised on both sides p. 105. The Battel at Edge-hill p. 111. MDCXLIII The Queens return into England The Kings Successes p. 114. MDCXLIV The Kings Victories over the Rebels p. 122. The Tryal and Execution of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury p. 127. His Character p. 130. MDCXLV The Battle at Naseby and its ill influence upon the Kings Party p. 137. MDCXLVI The Kings withdrawment to the Scottish Army p. 144. MDCXLVII The King removed from Holmby to Hampton-Court His flight into the Isle of Wight p. 150. MDCXLVIII The Treaty in the Isle of Wight p. 178. A Court Erected for the Tryal of the King p. 194. His Tryal and Carriage there p. 208. His Martyrdom and Burial p. 218. His Incomparable Book p. 225. His Character His Religion p. 229. His Justice p. 241. His Clemency p. 244. His Fortitude p. 247. His Patience p. 252. His Humility p. 256. His choice of Ministers of State p. 259. His Affection to his People p. 260. His obliging Converse p. 263. His Fidelity p. 264. His Charity p. 267. His Temperance p. 268. His Frugality ibid. His Intellectual abilities p. 271. His skill in all Arts. p. 273. His Eloquence p. 275. His Political Prudence ibid. The censure of his Fortune p. 278. A presage of His Fall and the future State of the Royal Family p. 280. His Recreations p. 281. The features of his Body p. 283. His Children p. 284. His Epitaph p. 287. His Epitaph by Doctor Pierce p. 290. Another Epitaph by J. H. p. 292. THE END
season Attend me by the Law of God and reason They dare impeach and punish for high Treason 9 Next at the Clergy do their Furies frown Pious Episcopacy must go down They will destroy the Crosier and the Crown free'd 10 Church-men are chain'd and Schismaticks are Mechanicks preach and Holy Fathers bleed The Crown is crucified with the Creed 11 The Church of England doth all faction foster The Pulpit is usurpt by each Impostor Ex tempore excludes the Pater Noster 12 The Presbyter and Independant Seed Springs with broad-blades to make Religion bleed Herod and Pontius Pilate are agreed 13. The Corner-stone's misplac't by every Pavier With such a bloody method and behaviour Their Ancestors did crucifie our Saviour 14 My Royal Consort from whose fruitful Womb So many Princes legally have come Is forc't in Pilgrimage to seek a Tomb. 15 Great Britains Heir is forced into France Whilest on his father's head his foes advance Poor Child He weeps out his Inheritance 16 With my own Power my Majesty they wound In the King's name the K. himself 's uncrown'd So doth the dust destroy the Diamond 17 With Propositions daily they enchant My Peoples ears such as do Reason daunt And the Almighty will not let me Grant 18 They promise to erect my Royal Stem To make me Great t' advance my Diadem If I will first fall down and worship them 19 But for refusal they devour my Thrones Distress my Children and destroy my bones I fear they 'l force me to make bread of stones 20 My Life they prize at such a slender rate That in my absence they draw bills of hate To prove the King a Traytor to the State 21 Felons obtain more priviledge that I They are allow'd to answer e're they dye 'T is death for Me to ask the reason Why. 22 But Sacred Saviour with thy words I woo Thee to forgive and not be bitter to Such as thou know'st do not know what they do 23 For since they from their Lord are so disjointed As to contemn those Edicts he appointed How can they prize the Power of his Anointed 24 Augment my Patience nullifie my hate Preserve my Issue and inspire my Mate Yet though We perish bless this Church and State THE LIFE OF Charles I. CHARLES I. King of Great Britain France and Ireland was the Son of James VI. King of Scots and Anne his Wife a Daughter of Denmark By His Father descended to him all the Rights together with their blood of all our Ancient both Saxon and Norman Kings to this Empire For the Lady Margaret Sister and sole Heir of Edgar Atheling the last surviving Prince of the English Saxons being married to Malcolme Conmor King of Scots conveyed to his Line the Saxon and Margaret Daughter of Henry VII married to James IV. did bring the Norman Titles and Blood From this Imperial Extract He received not more Honour than He gave to it For the blood that was derived to Him elaborated through so many Royal veins He delivered to Posterity more maturated for Glory and by a constant practice of Goodness more habituated for Vertue He was born at Dunfermeling one of the principal Towns of Fife in Scotland on November 19. Anno 1600. in so much weakness that His Baptism was hastened without the usual Ceremonies wherewith such Royal Infants are admitted into the Church Providence seeming to consecrate Him to Sufferings from the Womb and to accustom Him to the exchange of the strictures of Greatness for clouds of Tears There was no observation nor augury made at His Birth concerning the sequel of His Life or course of Fortune which are usually related of such whose lives have different occurrences from those in others of the same state Either the fear of His Death made those about Him less observant of any Circumstances which curious minds would have formed into a Prediction He appearing like a Star that rises so near the point of his setting that it was thought there would be no time for calculation Or He being at distance by His Birth from the Succession to the Crown Prince Henry then having the first hopes made men less solicitous to enquire of His future state on whom being born to a private Condition the Fate of the Kingdom did not depend But in the third year of His Age when King James was preparing himself to remove to the English Throne a certain Laird of the Highlands though of very great age came to the Court to take his leave of him whom he found accompanied with all his Children After his address full of affectionate and sage Advice to which his gray hairs gave authority to the King his next application was to Duke CHARLES Anno 1602. for in the second year of His Age He was created Duke of Albany Marquess of Ormond Earl of Ross and Baron of Ardmanock whose hands he kiss'd with so great an ardencie of affection that he seemed forgetful of a separation The King to correct his supposed mistake advised him to a more present observance of Prince Henry as the Heir of his Crown of whom he had taken little notice The old Laird answered that he knew well enough what he did and that It was this Child who was then in His Nurses arms who should convey his name and memory to the succeeding ages This then was conceived dotage but the event gave it the credit of a Prophecie and confirmed that opinion That some long-experienced souls in the world before their dislodging arrive to the height of prophetick Spirits Anno 1603. When he was three years old He was committed to the Care and Governance of Sir Robert Cary's Lady as a reward for being the first Messenger of Queen Elizabeth's death whose long life had worn the expectation of the Scotish Nobility into a suspicion that the Lords of England would never acknowledge her to be dead as long as there was any old Woman of that Nation that could wear good cloaths and personate the Majesty of a Queen Anno 1604. In the fourth year after He had wrestled with a Feaver He was brought in October to the English Court at Windsor where on January 6. following having the day before been made Knight of the Bath He was invested with the title of Duke of York and in the sixth year Anno 1606 was committed to the Pedagogy of Mr. Thomas Murray a person well qualified to that Office though a favourer of Presbytery Under this Tutor and confined to a retiredness by the present weakness of His body He was so diligent and studious that He far advanced in all that kind of Learning which is necessary for a Prince without which even their natural Endowments seem rough and unpleasant in despight of the splendour 〈◊〉 their fortune His proficiency in Letters was so eminent that Prince Henry taking notice of it to put a jest upon Him one day put the Cap of the Archbishop Abbot who was then with the Prince and the Duke and
other of the Nobility waiting in the Privy Chamber for the King 's coming out on his Brothers head adding that If he continued a good Boy and followed His Book he would make Him one day Archbishop of Canterbury Which the Child took in such disdain that He threw the Cap on the ground and trampled it under His feet with so much eagerness that he could hardly be restrained Which Passion was afterwards taken by some overcurious as a presage of the ruine of Episcopacy by his Power But the event shewed it was not ominous to the Order but to the Person of the Archbishop whom in 〈◊〉 Reign He suspended from the administration of His Office Anno 1611 In His eleventh year He was made Knight of the Garter and in the twelfth Prince Henry dying November 6. 1612. He succeeded him in the Dukedom of Cornwal and the Regalities thereof and attended his Funeral as chief Mourner on Decemb. 7. On the 14. of February following He performed the Office of Brideman to the Princess Elizabeth His Sister who on that day was married to Frederick V. Prince Elector Palatine the gayeties of which day were afterwards attended with many fatal Cares and Expences His Childhood was blemished with a supposed Obstinacy for the weakness of His body inclining Him to retirements and the imperfections of His speech rendring discourse tedious and unpleasant He was suspected to be somewhat perverse But more age and strength fitting Him for manlike Exercises and the Publick hopes inviting him from His Privacies He delivered the World of such fears for applying himself to action He grew so perfect in Vaulting riding the great Horse running at the Ring shooting in Cross-bows Muskets and sometimes in great Pieces of Ordnance that if Principality had been to be the reward of Excellency in those Arts He would have had a Title to the Crown this way also being thought the best Marks-man and most graceful Manager of the great Horse in the three Kingdoms His tenacious humor he left with his retirements none being more desirous of good counsel nor any more obsequious when He found it yea too distrustful of His own Judgment which the issue of things proved always best when it was followed Anno 1616. When he was sixteen years old on Novemb. 3. He was created Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Flint the Revenues thereof being assigned to maintain His Court which was then formed for Him And being thus advanced in Years and State it was expected that He should no longer retain the Modesty which the shades of His Privacy had accustomed Him unto but now appear as the immediate Instrument of Empire and that by Him the Favours and Honours of the Court should be derived to others But though Providence had changed all about yet it had changed nothing within Him and He thought it glory enough to be great without the diminution of others for he still permitted the Ministry of State to His Fathers Favourites which gave occasion of discourse to the Speculativi Some thought He did it to avoid the Jealousies of the Old King which were conceived to have been somewhat raised by the popularity of Prince Henry whose breast was full of forward Hopes For Young Princes are deemed of an impatient Ambition and old ones to be too nice and tender of their Power in which though they are contented with a Successor as they must have yet are afraid of a Partner And it was supposed that therefore K. James had raised Car and Buckingham like Comets to dim the lustre of these rising Stars But these were mistaken in the nature of the King who was enclined to contract a private friendship The Duke of Lenox and the Earl of Arran in Scotland and was prodigal to the objects of it before ever he had Sons to diver his Love or raise his Fears Some that at a distance looked upon the Prince's actions ascribed them to a Narrowness of Mind and an Incapacity of Greatness while others better acquainted with the frame of His Spirit knew His prudent Modesty inclined Him to learn the Methods of Commanding by the practice of Obedience and that being of a peaceful Soul He affected not to embroil the Court and from thence the Kingdom in Factions the effects of impotent minds which He knew were dangerous to a State and destructive to that Prince who gives birth unto them that therefore He chose to wait for a certain though delayed Grandeur rather than by the Compendious way of Contrasts get a precocious Power and leave too pregnant an Example of Ruine Others conceived it the Prudence of the Father with which the Son complied who knew the true use of Favourites was to make them the objects of the People's impatience the sinks to receive the curses and anger of the Vulgar the hatred of the querulous and the envy of unsatisfied ambition which He would rather have fall upon Servants that his Son might ascend the Throne free and unburthened with the discontents of any This was the rather believed because He could dispense Honours where and when He pleased as he did to some of His own Houshold as Sir Robert Cary was made Lord Cary of Lepington Sir Thomas Howard Viscount Andover and Sir John Vaughan Lord of Molingar in Ireland Anno 1618. The evenness of His Spirit was discovered in the loss of his Mother whose death presaged as some thought by that notorious Comet which appeared Novemb 18. before happened on March 2. Anno 1618. which he bewailed with a just measure of Grief without any affected Sorrows though She was most affectionate to Him above all her other Children and at her Funeral He would be chief Mourner The Death of the Queeu was not long after followed with a sharp Sickness of the King wherein his Life seeming in danger the consequences of his Death began to be lamented Dr. Andrews then Bishop of Ely bewailed the sad condition fo the Church if God should at that time determine the days of the King The Prince being then only conversant with Scotch men which made up the greatest part of his Family and were ill-affected to the Government and Worship of the Church of England Of this the King became so sensible that he made a Vow If God should please to restore his health he would so instruct the Prince in the Controversies of Religion as should secure His affections to the present establishment Which he did with so much success as he assured the Chaplains who were to wait on the Prince in Spain that He was able to moderate in any emergent disputations which yet he charged them to decline if possible At which they smiling he earnestly added That CHARLES should manage a point in Controversie with the best-studied Divine of them all Anno 1619. In his 19. Year on March 24. which was he Anniversary of King James's coming to the Crown of England He performed a Justing at White-Hall together with several of the Nobility
Justice and the reciprocal motions of the Popular heat that the very same Parliament that first stirr'd up this way of tumultuary Petitions against the King now complained that the Honour and Safety of Parliaments was indangered by Petitions But all their Tyranny upon the complaining Nation prevailed nothing but to provoke them to a higher Indignation and more frequent Petitions And when they perceived they dealt with men obstinate to their own Interests which were not to be gained but by the Publick ruine they fly from Prayers to Arms and intitle their just War For the Liberty of King and People And in several places as in Kent Essex Suffolk Norfolk Cornwall York-shire Wales and at last in Surry multitudes take Arms for this Righteous Cause The Navy also fall off and setting Rainsbrough their levelling Admiral on Shore seventeen Ships deliver themselves up to the Prince of Wales The Scots likewise by an Order of their own Parliament send into England to recover the Liberty and Majesty of the King an Army under Hamilton But all was in vain God had decreed other Triumphs for His Majesty and to translate Him to another Kingdom For the English being but tumultuarily raised having no train of Artillery or Ammunition considerable were soon supprest by a veterane Army provided with all necessaries The Scots either through weakness or wickedness of their Commanders who made so disorderly a march that their Van and Rear were forty miles asunder were easily worsted by Cromwell who surprised their main Body and Hamilton was taken Prisoner Cromwell follows the scattered Parties into Scotland where they were likewise assaulted by Argyle a domestick Enemy and forced to submit those Arms the Parliament had put into their hands to the Faction of that false Earl who calls another Parliament from which all were excluded that in the former Voted for the King's Delivery and all the Orders of that Convention made void Cromwell had the Publick Thanks and the private Faith of Argyle to endeavour as opportunity permitted the extirpation of Monarchy out of Scotland The Navy also deserts the Prince being corrupted by the Earl of Warwick who was appointed for this Service and when he had ingloriously bought off their Faith to their lawful Prince himself was ignominiously cashiered by the Conspirators These great disappointments and overthrws of just Enterprises men variously attributed to different Causes Some to the Perfidiousness others to the Weakness of those that managed them as also to the Treachery of some Presbyterians who in hatred to the Army first incouraged and then in Jealousie of the Royallists basely deserted them For the Rabbies of the Kirk cursed Hamilton in the beginning of his Enterprise Another sort thought them unhappy because the greatest part of the Undertakers were such that formerly had either fought against the King or else had betrayed Him and God would not now bless their unexpiated Arms. And some to the Fate of the Kingdom which God had decreed to give over to numerous and impious Tyrants because of their unthankfulness and impatience under so Incomparable a Prince But while these things were managed by the Army that were now at a distance and Cromwell's Terrors were greater in Scotland than here the less guilty Parliament-men seriously considering how impatient the People who in London and other places had gotten innumerable Subscriptions to a Petition for a Personal Treaty now were of those Injuries that were done to their Sovereign how hateful themselves grew because they had betrayed and inslaved their own Privileges together with the Liberties of the Subject to an insatiable and Phanatick Army and how an evident Ruine attended even their Conquests of Him whom it was unlawful to assault did at last though too late contrary to the clamours of their Factious and Democratick Members Repeal those Votes which they had formerly made of No more Addresses to the King This being passed in both Houses they afterwards with a strong Consent Vote a Treaty with the King in Honour Freedom and Safety The Factious Party in the Parliament found themselves too few and weak to oppose this impetuous tendency of the Two Houses and whole Kingdom to Peace But yet they endeavoured to frustrate the labours of their more since Members and to baffle the People's just desires of it by imposing many unequal Conditions and obstructive restrictions For they procured that the Treaty should be in the Isle of Wight and not at London that it should be by Commissioners and not immediately with the two Houses as was Petitioned The Propositions that were sent to be Treated were the same which had before been offered to the King at Hampton-Court and were then rejected by Him and also condemned by the Army it self as too unjust The Commissioners were so streightned in Power that it was not lawful for them to soften any one of the Conditions of Peace not to alter the Preface or change the Order of the Propositions nor to debate a Subsequent till the Precedent were agreed on They could conclude nothing they were only to propose the Demands urge Reasons for the Royal Assent receive the King's Answer and refer all in writing to the Parliament whose slow Resolves and the delays of sending were supposed would consume that narrow measure of time which was appointed to debate so many and so different things for they were limited to forty days The Commissioners they sent were Five of the Lord's House and Twelve of the Commoners and with them some of their Presbyterian Ministers who were to press importunately for their Church Government to elude the King's Arguments for Episcopacy and only to impose not to dispute their own With all these upon so many several and different Propositions some relating to the Law of the Land others to Reason of State and some to the practice of the Apostolical Primitive Churches the King was to deal without publick assistance For though He was permitted the Ministery of some Officers of State Counsellours and Divines yet were they but of private advice and to stand behind the Curtain He only Himself was to speak in the Debate and singly to manage matters of Policy with their most exercised Statists and the points of Divinity with their best-studied Divines The Vulgar to whom the Arts of these men were not so obvious were much pleased with the Name of a Treaty and now hoped to exchange their Servitude under so many importunate Tyrants for the moderate and easie Government of one Lawful King Others that had a clearer insight and observed with what difficulties it was burthened hoped for no benefit from it Because that if His Majesty should not Consent as they believed He would not then He would be the object of the popular impatience And if He should Consent He that now was thought to be most injuriously dealt with would then be conceived not to deserve the Pity even of His Friends nor could He gain any other thing by His Concessions than to be
to preserve When His Majesty was come back as far as Greenwich He met with many information how averse the Faction was to Peace and that their Proceedings were raised to a level with their Principles which some of them published That the Alteration they did intend and which was necessary both in Church and State must be made by Blood Therefore they endeavoured by their Calumnies to create an Hatred of Him and to despoil Him of all the hopeful Effects of His Condescensions For when a Prince is once hated his Benefits do him no less hurt than Injuries In order to this Mr. Pym had publickly charged Him with a Connivence at least if not with the Contrivance of the Irish Rebellion because many Papists had His Majesties immediate Warrant for their transport thither This the King requires satisfaction for shewing the Falshood and Malice of the Defamer by giving an Account of the date of the several Warrants But the Faction so far prevailed as to make it a Publick Sin and the House was perswaded to believe and acknowledge it to be their common sense Many others had uttered seditious Speeches in the House especially Master Marten a man of all Uncleannesses a publick contemner of Religion and Honesty that had wasted a large Patrimony which he had likewise unjustly morgaged to several and different Creditors in the most infamous Lusts and sought a greater licence and fresh supplies for them by the ruine of the State at which he was powerful being of as impure and lascivious a Wit as he was of Life wherewith he used to prophane God and His Vicegerents yet serving the ends of Confusion had his name among the Catalogue of those that were to do the Work of the Lord. Besides the attempts upon His Honour they endeavour another upon His Family and to seize upon the Prince Which the King hearing sends for Him and the Duke of York and immediately removes to Theobalds in order to His journey towards the North where He intended to settle His abode till He saw what Issue this Storm would have This removal of the King was variously censured Some thought it unadvisedly done to withdraw so far from London to leave His chief City wholly to the practices and expose His Friends there to the Impostures and Injuries of His Enemies Others especially the Friends of the Faction defamed it as a preparing Himself for that War which followed But others concluded it as an act of Necessity and where there was no choice for Prudence For when He had passed more obliging Acts and parted with so much of His Prerogative and so many undoubted Rights of His Crown as could not be equalled by the Grants of all His Predecessors yet He found that He had effected nothing more by giving than to make the Faction more eagerly desire what they knew He must in Honour and Conscience deny and that the People were so bewitched as not to see it is safer to trust Him who was contented with a less degree of Power than those whose ambition and avarice knew no bounds Who being thus deluded as so far to administer to the Lusts of their Disturbers would not fail their assistance to seize upon His Person unless in time He did provide for His Liberty Nor could it be imagined that He meditated a War who to make His People happy if they had not despised their own Mercies had deprived Himself of a power to manage it For besides those Acts formerly mentioned He had signed many other as prejudical to such an undertaking For He had passed Acts against His own Power of Impressing Souldiers His Right to Tonnage and Poundage the Stannary Courts Clerk of the Market the Presidial Courts in the North and Marches of Wales whereby He had not only diminished His Greatness and that Reverence which was due to the Crown but also so straitened His Revenue as it was not able to maintain Discipline without which no hopes of Victory especially in a Civil War Besides His Enemies in every County had injured His Fame which is of great moment in the deciding Controversies by the Sword and the City of London which is the grand Treasurie of the Wealth and Strength of the whole Nation was now enslaved by the Rabble to their commands All which considerations as they could not escape so Wise a Prince so would they not permit the Designs of War especially in that Breast to which it was equally miserable to suffer the spilling of His Subjects blood as to expose Himself to Ruine So that His departure from London was not of Design but Necessity nor was there in it more of Fear than Shame for He could no longer endure those detestable Spectacula in which Tumults like Beasts were let loose to assault the Majesty of Government While the King thus provides for His Liberty the Faction proceed to usurp the Militia which His Majesty had denied and the Lords were ashamed to ask therefore they privately incourage their Partisans in all the Cities and Boroughs where they were most powerful to appoint Musters to arm and train their Youth and module them into Companies which afterwards though contrary to the Law they move the Lower House to Vote Legal and to make an Order in the Name of the Parliament for the Constituting of Deputies to the same purpose in every County and at last by the Tumults which they raised the Threats they used to divulge the names of the dissenting Lords and secret promises to some others for Mr. Pym told the Earl of Dover he must look for no Preferment unless he joyned with them they prevailed upon the House of Peers when many of the most eminent were absent to joyn in a Petition for the Militia upon pretence of great Dangers at home and more prodigious terrours from abroad pretending that by Intelligence from Paris Rome and Venice they were assured of great designs to overthrow the Parliament together with the Protestant Religion whose fate and Interest they would have it imagined was so twisted with theirs that like those Twins they could not laugh nor grieve but in Conjunction This Paper being presented to His Majesty whose Soul was wholly devoted to Peace when it did not betray Religion and the Trust Heaven had committed unto Him He proposes to them Expedients whereby they might be associated with Him in the Power of the Militia which Honour and Conscience forbad Him to devest Himself wholly of and passionately adjures them to lay aside their vain and empty Terrours whereby they distracted and divided the People not suffering them to enjoy the Peace and Gracious Concessions wherein He had exceeded the Goodness of all His Predecessors But they who had projected to themselves the whole Power would not be contented with a Partner in it and therefore despising His Indulgence and neglecting His Admonitions the next day in furious Votes declared themselves sole Masters of the Militia and to make the People believe there was truth in