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A59018
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The secret history of K. James I and K. Charles I compleating the reigns of the four last monarchs / by the author of The secret history of K. Charles II and K. James II.
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Phillips, John, 1631-1706.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing S2339; ESTC R234910
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51,708
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182
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By this you see the advantage and benefit of one Wise Counsellor in a whole State and although Solomon says By the multitude of Councellors doth a Kingdom Flourish yet surely he intended they should be Wise Men that are Councellors for we had such a multitude of Councellors that a longer Table and a larger Council-Chamber was provided yet our State was so far from Flourishing that it had been almost utterly destroyed I shall now bring my Story to an end as I shall this King's Life although I have made some Digressions yet all pertinent to the Secret Intreagues of this King's Reign He now goes to his last Hunting-Journey I mean the last of the Year as well as his Life which He ever ended in Lent and was seized on by an extraordinary Tertian Ague which at that Season according to the Proverb was Physick for a King but King James did not find it so and poor King what was but Physick to any other was made Mortal to him Yet 't was not the Ague as himself Confessed to many of his Servants one of which crying Courage Sir this is but a small Fit the next will be none at all At which he most earnestly looked and said Ah! it is not the Ague afflicteth me but the black Plaster and Powder given me and laid to my Stomach and in truth the Plaster so troubled him that he was glad to have it pulled off and with it the Skin also Nor was it fair Dealing if he had sair Play which himself suspected often saying to Montgomery whom he trusted above all Men in his Sickness For God's sake look I have fair Play to bring in an Emperick to apply any Medicines whil'st those Physicians appointed to attend him were at Dinner nor could any but Buckingham Answer it with less than his Life Buckingham coming into the King's Chamber even when He was at the point of Death an honest Servant of the King 's crying Ah! my Lord you have Undone us all his poor Servants although you are so well provided you need not care At which Buckingham kickt at him who caught his Foot and made his Head first come to the Ground where Buckingham presently rising run to the Dying-King's Bed-side and cryed Justice Sir I am abused by your Servant and wrongfully Accused At which the poor King Mournfully fixed his Eyes on him as who would have said Not wrongfully yet without Speech or Sense It were worth the knowledge what his Confessions was or what other Expressions he made of himself or any other but that was only known to the dead Arch-Bishop Abbot and the then living Bishop Williams and the Lord-Keeper and it was thought Williams had blabbed something which incensed the King's Anger and Buckingham's Hatred so much against him that the loss of his Place could not be expiatory sufficient but his utter ruine must be determined and that for the great Crime of Lapsus Linguae Now having brought this King who was stiled the King of Peace to rest in all Peace the 27th of March his Son by Sound of the Trumpet was Proclaimed King by the Name of CHARLES the First His Father's Reign began with a great Plague and we have shewed what his Reign was His Son 's with a greater Plague the greatest that ever had been in these parts We come now to shew what his Reign was in the ensuing Discourse FINIS THE Secret History c. THE Misfortunes of this Monarch Son to King James with the uncouth dismal and unexpressible Calamities that happened thereupon appear yet so great a Sacrifice in the Opinions of all Interested by the Loss or Suborned by that natural Propensity inherent in the most to expunge or palliate the Lapses of unhappy Princes whose Indulgence is not seldom so defensive as to expiate for the Faults of those standing in a far remoter Relation than that of a Father that they have hitherto stoped my Pen from making any farther Progress that way till led on by a Zeal to Truth and illuminated from the brighter Judgments of others I found not only the Imprudent Commissions but voluntary Omissions of King James so much instrumental in the promotion of our late Unnatural Wars As it may justly be said He like Adam by bringing the Crown into so great a Necessity through profuse Prodigality became the Original of his Son's Fall who was in a manner compelled to stretch out his Hands towards such Gatherings and Taxes as were contrary to Law by which He fell from the Paradice of a Prince to wit The Hearts of his People though the best Polititians extant might miscarry in their Calculation of a Civil-War immediately to follow upon the Death of Queen Elizabeth in Vindication of the number of Titles and Opinions then current Yet the Beggarly Rabble attending King James not only at his first coming out of Scotland but through his whole Reign like a fluent Spring found still crossing the River Tweed did so far justifie the former Conjecture as it was only thought mistaken in relation to Time King James departing this Life at Theobald's the 27th day of March 1625. in the Fifty Ninth Year of his Age when He had Reigned Twenty Two Years compleat In the Afternoon of the same day Charles Prince of Wales his only Son then living was Proclaimed King of Great Britain France and Ireland The first thing He did was performing the Ceremonies of his Father's Funeral in which the King himself in Person followed as Chief Mourner He then proceeded to consummate the Marriage with Hentietta Maria Younger Daughter of the great Henry the Fourth King of France whom He had formerly seen in his Journey through that Country into Spain The King then called a Parliament which Assembled the 18th of June following to whom He represented in a short Speech The urgent necessity of raising a Subsidy since it would not agree with his Kingly Honour to shrink from the War with Spain which his Father upon solid Consideration had by consent of Both Houses undertakeâ— although prevented by Death from putting it in Execution c. The Parliament would not resolve on raising of Money till they had first presented their Two Petitions concerning Reasons of Religion and Complaint of their Sufferings which Points had been offered to his Father King James in the close of his last Parliament and by his Death were left hitherto unanswered In Both which they received satisfaction and likewise an account of the Arrears which were due to the Forces by Sea and Land together with an estimate of the future Charge and Expence of the Spanish War Upon which the King obtained of the Laiety Two Subsidies to be paid by Protestants and Four from Papists and Three Subsidies from the Clergy In this Parliament Dr. Montague the King's Chaplain was questioned for certain Tenets in his Answer to a Book called the Romish Dagger Divers Laws were Enacted in this Parliament as one about the Observation of the Lord's-Day and another
willing to condescend to all the Proposals about the Militia of the Counties and the Persons mentioned but not of London and other Corporations whose Government in that particular he thought it neither Justice nor Policy to alter but would not consent to divest Himself of the Power of the County Militia for an indesinite Time but for some limited Space This Answer did not satisfie so that the Breach growing every day wider the King declined these Parts and the Parliament and removed to Theobald's taking with Him the Prince and Duke of York About the beginning of March He receives a Petition from the Parliament wherein they require the Militia more resolutely than before affirming That in case of denial the Eminent Dangers would constrain them to dispose of it by the Authority of Parliament desiring also That he would make his Abode near London and the Parliament and continue the Prince at some of his Houses near the City for the better carrying on of Affairs and preventing the Peoples Jealousies and Fears All which being refused They presently Order That the Kingdom be put into a posture of Defence in such a way as was agreed upon by Parliament and a Committee to prepare a publick Declaration from these Heads 1. The Just Causes of the Fears and Jealousies given to the Parliament at the same time clearing themselves from any Jealousies conceived against Himself 2. To Consider of all Matters arising from his Majesty's Message and what was fit to be done And now began our Troubles and all the Miseries of a Civil-War The Parliament every day entertaining new Jealousies and Suspicions of the King's Actions which howsoever in Complement they made shew of imputing only to his Evil Council yet obliquely had too great a Reflection on his Person They now proceed on a suddain to make great Preparations both by Sea and Land And the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England is commanded to Rig the King's Ships and fit them for Sea And likewise all Masters and Owners of Ships were perswaded to do the like The Beacons were prepared Sea-Marks set up and extraordinary Postings up and down with Pacquets All sad Prognosticks of the Calamities ensuing August 22. 1642. The King comes to Nottingham and there Erects His Standard to which some Numbers resorted but far short of what was Expected And three Days after the King sends a Message to the Parliament to propose a Treaty The Messengers were the Earls of Southampton and Dorset Sir John Culpeper and Sir W. Udal None of which were suffered to Set in the House to deliver their Errand therefore it was sent in by the Usher of the Black-Rod to which the Parliament Answered That until His Majesty shall recal His Proclamations and Declarations of Treason against the Earl of Essex and Them and their Adherents And unless the King's Standard now Set up in pursuance thereof be taken down They cannot by the Fundamental Priviledges of Parliament give His Majesty another Answer The King Replies That He never intended to Declare the Parliament Traytors or Set up his Standard against them but if they Resolve to Treat either Party shall Revoke their Declarations against all persons as Traytors and the same Day to take down his Standard To this they Answer That the Difference could not any ways be concluded unless He would forsake his Evil Counsellors and return to his Parliament And accordingly September 6th They Order and Declare That the Armswhich they have or shall take up for the Parliament Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom shall not be laid down until the King withdraw his Protection from such Persons as are or shall be Voted Delinquents and shall leave them to Justice The War being now begun the New-raised Souldiers committed many Outrages upon the Country-people which both King and Parliament upon Complaint endeavour to Rectifie The King Himself was now Generalissimo over his Own His Captain-General was first the Marquess of Hartford and afterwards the Earl of Lindsey and the Earl of Essex for the Parliament The King's Forces received the first Repulse at Hull by Sir John Hotham and Sir John Meldrum and the King takes up his Quarters at Shrewsbury Portsmouth was next Surrendred to the Parliament and presently after Sir John Byron takes Worcester for the King In September the two Princes Palatines Rupert and Maurice Arrived in England who were presently Entertained and put into Command by the King This uncivil Civil-War was carried on in General with all the Ruines and Desolations imaginable wherein all Bonds of Religion Alliance and Friendship were utterly destroyed Wherein Fathers and Children Kindred and Acquaintances became unnatural Enemies to each other In which miserable Condition this Nation continued for near Four Years viz. From August the 22d 1642. the Time the King Set up his Standard at Nottingham to May the 6th 1646. the time when the King quitting all Hopes put Himself into the Protection of the Scotch-Army at Newark During this process of Time several Messages past divers Treaties set on foot and other Overtures of Accommodation but all came to no Effect The War in England being now after so much Blood-shed and Ruine brought to some End the Parliament were at leisure to Dispute with the Scots concerning the Keeping of the King who fearing lest Fairfax should fall upon them and compel them to Deliver Him up Retreated further Northwards towards New-Castle The Parliament sent an Invitation to the Prince of Wales to come to London with promise of Honour and Safety but He did not think fit to venture The King sends from New-castle to the Army about a Treaty and the House of Commons Vote That the King ' s Person should be demanded of the Scots and that their whole Army return home upon Receipt of part of their Arrears the rest to be sent after them And a Committee is appointed to Treat with the Scotch Commissioners about drawing up Propositions to be sent to the King wherein much Time was spent in Wrangling whilst the English deny the Scots to have any Right in the Disposal of the King of England and the Scots as stifly alledged He was their King as much as of the English and they had as good Right to Dispose of the King in England as the English could Challenge in Scotland But at last they agreed on Sixteen General Propositions which were presented to the King at New-castle July the 27. 1646. But these Propositions were such that the King did not think fit to Comply withal The Scots General Assembly sent a Remonstrance to the King Desiring Him to settle Matters in England according to the Covenant c. But all this could not prevail and therefore the Scots who had hitherto so sharply Disputed about the Disposal of the King's Person are Content upon the Receipt of Two hundred thousand Pounds to depart Home and leave the King in the Power of the Parliament who Voted Him to Holmby-House and sent their Commissioners to receive Him from the Scots at Newcastle To whom February the 8th 1646 He was accordingly Delivered and the Scots returned home Feb. the 8th the King sets forward with the Commissioners for Holmby and after a Fortnight came to His Journeys-end being met by the way by General Fairfax and many of his Officers Some Petitions from Essex and other Places are Presented to the Parliament inveighing against the Proceedings of the Army which much vexed the Souldiers who sharply Apologize for themselves And now the Army to the great Terror of the Parliament March towards London and came as far as St. Alban's notwithstanding a Message from Both Houses not to come within Twenty Five Miles of the City which the General excused saying That the Army was come thither before they received the Parliament's Desire And here he obtains a Month's Pay The Parliament Vote That the General be required to deliver the Person of the King to the former Commissioners who were to bring him to Richmond that Propositions of Peace might be speedily Presented to His Majesty and that Collonel Rossiter and his Regiment might Guard His Person The Army being much behind-hand in Arrears Petition the Parliament who upon consideration order them some Money at the present and then drew up Propositions of Peace to be sent to the King at Hampton-Court the same in substance with those offered at New-Castle and had the like effect The business of Episcopacy being always the main Objection which the Parliament were resolved to Abolish and the King preferring That before all other Respects would rather lose All than consent thereunto The Scots Commissioners send a Letter Novemb. 6. 1647. to the Speaker of the House of Commons and require That the KING may be admitted to a Personal Treaty or at least That He should not be carried from Hampton-Court violently but that Commissioners of Both Parliaments may freely pass to and from Him to Treat for the Settlement of the Kingdom After which divers Messages past between the King and the Parliament and several Conferences and Treaties were set on Foot particularly that of Heuderson's but they proving fruitless the Parliament with most of the Officers of the Army that joyned with them brought the KING to Tryal by a Judicature of their own setting-up which proved His Ruine FINIS