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
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
c. yet he did beggar Himself and the Nation in general But they that lived at Court and were curious Observers of every Mans Actions could have then affirmed That Salisbury Suffolk and Northampton and their Friends did get more than the whole Nation of Scotland Dunbar excepted for what-ever others got they spent here only Dunbar laid a Foundation of a great Family To take off the Subjects Eyes from observing the Indulgency used by K. James in behalf of the Papists whom though he had no cause to Love he thought he found reason enough to Fear a Quarrel was revived now almost asleep because it had long escaped Persecution the Bellows of Schisme with a People stiled Puritans who meeting no nearer a definition than the Name all the conscientious Men in the Nation shared the Contempt neither was any charged with it though in the best relation thought competent for Preserment in Church or State which made the Bad glory in their Impiety Court-Sermons were fraught with bitter Invectives against these People whom they seated in a Class far nearer the Confines of Hell than Papists And to avoid the very Imputation of Puritanism a greater rub in the way of Preferment than Vice our Divines for the generality did Sacrifice more time to Bacchus than Minerva and for their ordinary Studies they were School Points and Passionate Expressions as more conversant with the F than the Fathers scoffing in their ordinary Discourse at Luther and Calvin but especially at the last so as a certain Bishop thank'd God he never though a good Poet himself had read a Line in him or Chaucer The same used this simile at Court That our Religion like the Kings-Arms stood between Two Beasts the Puritans and Papists Nor did the Extravagancy of many of the Episcopal Clergy add a little to the Rent much augmented by the Scotish Propensity to Presbytery nor did the often and sudden Translation of Bishops from less to greater Sees give time to visit sufficiently their respective Charges being more intent upon the Receipt of such Taxes as a long abused custom had estated them in than upon Reformation The Court-Sermons informing His Majesty He might as Christ's Vicegerent command all and that the People if they denied him Supplement or enquired after the disposure of it were Presumptuous Peepers into the Sacred Ark of the State not to be done but under the severest Curse though it appeared likely to fall thro' the falshood or folly of those at the Helm But on the contrary other qualified Preachers did fulminate against Non-Residency Profanation of the Lords-Day Connivance at Popery Persecution of God's People c. Now by this time the Nation grew Feeble and over-opprest with Impositions Monopolies Aids Privy-Seals Concealments Pretermitted Customs c. besides all Forfeitures upon Penal Statutes with a multitude of more Tricks to cheat the Subject the most if not all unheard of in Q. Elizabeth's days all spent on Favorites and other Fooleries True it is all Kings cast-away Money the Day of their Enthronement but King James did it all his Life In this place my Memory presents me with Sir Robert Cecil after Earl of Salisbury famed for a grand Seducer of the King by perswading him This Nation was so Rich it could neither be Exhausted nor Provoked a Saying generally laid to his Charge yet contradicted in this Practice of his for the Earl of Somerset being in the flower of his Favour had got a peremptory Warrant to the Treasurer for 20000 l. who in this his Executive Prudence finding that not only the Exchecquer but the Indies themselves would in time want Fluency to feed so immense a Prodigality and not without reason apprehending the King as Ignorant in the value of what was demanded as the desert of the Person that begged it and knowing a Pound upon the Scotch Account would not pay for the Shooing of an Horse he layed the fore-mentioned Sum upon the ground in a Room through which the King was to pass who amazed at the quantity asked the Treasurer whose Money it was who answered Yours before your Majesty gave it away whereupon the King fell into a Passion protesting he was abused and never intended any such Gift and casting himself upon the heap scrabled out the quantity oâ— Two or Three Hundred Pounds anâ— â—wore he should have no more The palpable Partiality that descended from the Father to the Scots did estate the whole Love of the English on his Son Henry whom they engaged by so much Expectation as it may be doubted whether it ever lay â—n the Power of any Prince meerly Human to bring so much Felicity inâ—o a Nation as they did all his Life promise to themselves at the Death of King James The Government of the Princes House was with much Discreâ—ion Modesty Sobriety and which was looked upon as too great an upâ—raiding the contrary Proceedings of his Father in an high reverence to Piety not Swearing himself or keeping any that did through which he came to be advanced beyond an ordinary measure in the Affections of the City to whom he was not only Plauâ—ible in his Carriage but Just in Payments so far as his Credit out-reached â—he Kings both in the Exchange and the Church in which the Son could not take so much Felicity as the Father did Discontent to find all the Worth he imagined in himself wholly lost in the hopes the People had of this Young Gentleman From whence Kings may be concluded far more unhappy than ordinary Men for tho' whil'st Children are Young they may afford them safety yet when arrived at that Age which useth to bring Comfort to other Parents they produce only Jealousies and Fears And if common Fame did not outstrip Truth King James was by Fear led into great Extreams finding his Son Henry not only averse to any Popish Match but saluted by the Puritans as one prefigured in the Apocalyps for Rome's Destruction insinuating as if the Prince was not kindly dealt withal at his Death but it is so common with Report to rate the Sickness or Death of Princes at the price of Poyson as I should quite have omitted this conjecture or left it wholly to the decision of the great Tribunal was it not certain that his Father did dread him and that the King though he would not deny him any thing he plainly desired yet it appeared rather the result of Fear and outward Complyance than Love and Natural Affection being harder drawn to confer an Honour or Pardon in cases of Desert upon a Retainer to the Prince than a Stranger From whence might be calculated a Malignity conceived in his Heart against the Splendor of his Sons Retinue One day he was called to a remarkable Observation of his Sons Grandeur by Archee his Jester on the Plains about New-Market when He and the Prince parted few being left with the Father and those mean Persons which drew Tears from him One Reason King James was so poorly followed
especially in his Journies was his Partiality used towards the Scots which hung like Horse-leeches on him till they could get no more falling then off by retiring into their own Country or living at ease leaving all chargable attendance to the English The Harvest of the Love and Honour he reaped being suitable to the ill Husbandry he used in the unadvised distribution of his Favours for of a number of empty Vessels he filled to compleat the measure of our Infelicity unless such as by reason of their vast runnings out had need daily of a new supply and amongst these the Earl of Carlisle was one of the Quorum that brought in the vanity of Anti-Suppers not heard of in our Fore-Fathers time and for ought I have read or at least remember unpractised by the luxurious Tyrants The manner of which was to have the Board covered at the first enterance of the Guests with Dishes as high as a tall Man could well reach filled with the choicest and dearest Viands Sea or Land could afford and all this once seen and having feasted the Eyes of the Invited was in a manner thrown away and fresh set on to the same height having only this advantage of the other that it was hot I cannot forget one of the Attendance of the King that at a Feast made by this Monster in Excess eat to his single share a whole Pye reckoned to my Lord at Ten Pounds being composed of Ambergrease Magesterial of Pearl Musk c. And after such Suppers huge Banquets no less profuse a Waiter returning his Servant home with a Cloak-Bag full of dried Sweat-Meats and Confects valued to his Lordship at more than Ten Shillings the Pound This Lord lay always under the comfortable Aspect of King James's favour though he was never found in his Bosome a place reserved for younger Men and of more endearing Countenances and these went under the appellation of his Favourites or Minions who like Burning-Glasses were daily interposed between Him and the Subject multiplying the heat of Oppressions in the general opinion tho in his own he thought they screened them from reflecting on the Crown Now as no other reason appeared in his choice but handsomness so the love the King shewed was as amorously conveyed as if he had mistaken their Sex and thought them Ladies which Somerset and Buckingham did labour to resemble in the Effeminateness of their Dressings though in W looks and wanton gestures they exceeded any part of Woman-kind Nor was his Love or what else the World will please to call it carried on with a discretion sufficient to cover a less scandalous Behaviour for the King kissing them after so lascivious a Mode in Publick and upon the Theatre as it were of the World prompted many to imagine things done in the Tiring-House that exceed my Expressions no less than they do my Experience and therefore left floating upon the Waves of Conjecture which hath tossed them from one side to another It 's generally said That the Earl of Holland and some others refused his Majesties favour upon those conditions They subscribed to who filled that place in his Affections Holland losing that opportunity his curious Face and complexion afforded him by turning aside and spitting after the King had slabâ—â—red his Mouth who though numbred among the Gods upon Earth yet any that will be so inquisitive as to â—ake in his Dust may find as many â—railties as ever Man stood charged with of which this was none of the â—east doubling the weight of his Oppression for the setting up of these Golden Calves cost England more than Queen Elizabeth spent in all her Wars Nor will the Story of the Lord Treasurer Buckhurst fall in improperly here who being a very corrupt Man or much abused did lay claim to some part of the Kentish Lucy's Lands thaâ— lay contiguous to his own and mistrusting the Integrity of any other oâ— more legal Tryal did by the highnesâ— of his Hand bring it to the Councilâ— Table where about that time many Causes were shamefully carried anâ— from whence the most excellent Chancellor for parts that ever sate in thaâ— Court might derive the most Capitaâ— of his faults and after some Debatâ— the Treasurer standing up and offering to pull out of his Bosome Paperâ— that were pretended for their Lordships full and final satisfaction he feâ— down Dead as called to Answer at â— Higher Tribunal Neither has any since ever questioned Lucy's Land iâ— the quiet Possession of which he waâ— thus miraculously Estated The Treasurer was much given to Bribery anâ— Women in the general Opinion afteâ— whom these Verses were sent it beinâ— the fashion of the Poets in those days to sum up great Mens Virtues or Vices on their Graves These with many more to a like sense belonged to this Gentleman Discourteous Death that would'st not once confer Or daign to Parley with our Treasurer Had he been Thee or of thy fatal Tribe He would have spar'd a Life to gain a Bribe Another Here lies a Lord that Wenching thought no Sin And bought his Flesh by selling of our Skin His Name was Sackvile and so void of Pity As he did Rob the Country with the City The Match King James made between Elizabeth his Eldest Daughter and the Elector of the Rhyne contrary to the grain of many and the particular desires of her Mother who looked upon it so much below her as she could not refrain to call her Good Wife Palsgrave before she had put off her Wedding Shoes Now whether it was hope or fear according to the Opinion of the Catholicks and Polititians or a supine carelesness and desire to be rid of her with the least Expence as all the Ladies Friends suggested or pure Zeal to Religion as some simple people thought or what was most probable a Composition of all the three first mentioned Passions induced the King to accept of such mean Conditions I leave the Reader to Judge and only observe that although in Relation to Person and Vertue she might deservedly hold a Room in the greatest Princes Bed in Europe yet God was not pleased to afford her any outward Blessing but a multitude of Children of which the Eldest was unfortunately Drowned not withouâ— some reproach to the Father and a diminution of the rest in the opinion of the People that do though not seldom without a cause over-value any thing irrecoverably lost and at last cast her into an Ocean of Calamities in which she remained a floating Example to other Princes of the instability of Fortune as she did in Prosperity for Civility and Goodness And though none need seek for Reasons why Judgments should fall upon the Children of Princes yet her Behaviour was throughout so blameless as amongst the worst Reports the Papists could raise nothing appear'd to prove her so great an Actor in Ill as she was â—ound a Patient in Misery which makes me in Charity think it came rather by Descent than Purchase
It was the Opinion of those Times that the Elector might have sped better had he not Matched with England whose King was so timerous as he â—uffered all to Perish for want of seasonable supply that relied upon his Power for had his Consort been of weaker Alliance he had refused the Crown of Bohemia when it was offered or upon acceptance been more Cordially assisted by his fellow Princes already wearied by the Emperours Oppressions no less than terrified by an expectation of worse It was generally thought and that not without good reason That Prince Henry gave the first incouragement to the Prince Elector to attempt his Sister desiring more to Head an Army in Germany than he durst make shew of and would no doubt have been bravely followed That his thoughts flew high hundreds of his Servants could witness together with the Love he seemed to bear his Sister before his Brother Charles whom he would often Taunt till he made him Weep telling him He should be â— Bishop a Gown being fittest to hide hiâ— Legs subject in his Childhood to be Crooked Nor did all this put together lengthen his Life in the desires of many Besides Sir Walter Rawleigh did mediate his Favour by a Discourse he sent him proving no War could be so necessary or advantageous for England as one with Spain alledging many Reasons and Examples as well out of the Practice of Queen Elizabeth as his own Experience no Prince else then being able to pay for or bear the Expence of a Royal Navy which once in a Year he would without question accomplish by our intercepting some or most of the Plate-Fleet all Nations besides at that time being but Sea-Pedlars Wherefore if Philip the Second cut off his own hopeful and only Son Charles for but pittying the People of Flanders it can be no wonder He should promote the destruction of a Stranger that did so far applaud the advice of Rawleigh as to say No King but his Father would keep such a Bird in a Cage But to leave this to the Faith of Posterity the Actions of Kings being written in such dark Characters and relating to so many several ends as they are not easily deciphered I shall return to the German Affairs towards which had England contributed proportionably to the Head of a Union it may be presumed from the King of Sweeden's Success who had at the begining no such advantages to rely on that the Eclipsing if not the Ruine of the House of Austria had not been adjourned to so long a day And he that shall turn over the Adviso's of those Times may without danger or much trouble find what Opinion the Germans had of Us and in how great a dismay it cast their Proceedings when the smallness of the Lord Vere's Forces were known but when they read a Commission only enabling him to do nothing they apprehended themselves some out of Malice Betrayed others that knew the temper of King James better were so Charitable as to impute it to the true Cause which was his Fear upon whose Altar he was not only ready to Sacrifice his present Honour and future Safety but the Blood of those he stiles in all his Manifesto's His dearest Children For after his Daughter and the Elector were Crowned King and Queen of Bohemia they lost together with this Shadow all her Substance and what he was for so many Descents Born to the Palatinate at the Battle of Prague where few blows were dealt on the Electors side reported to be so Mad as to think the Souldier would venture his Life in a Cause where he to whom it most concerned was afraid to venture his Money It being then too late to spare when Honour and Fortune lay at the Stake By which this miserable Prince did not only lose what he might possibly have gained but most of the Wealth he desired to save The Earl of Portland Lord Treasurer was sent by King James when they looked for an Army to Mediate a Peace By whose help though a Roman Catholick the Elector and his Lady found means though with much difficulty to Escape to the Hague with their new assumed empty Titles having nothing else to support them but Patience and Hope the only and ordinary Comfort of those deprived of all help besides yet it was gerally reported by the Roman Catholicks That Portland was too far engaged to their Party to be the Author of so ungrateful a Service But this being his first Employment no less than a desire in the Pope to see the Power of the Emperour moderated who began to Incroach upon the pretended Immunities of the Church he might probably take this advantage to render his Embassy the more acceptable upon his return to the People of England if not to the King Persons of their Quality falling seldom by the Sword and therefore thought perhaps better Thrift to maintain them at Liberty than in Restraint or Redeem them at such a Ransom as a Victorious Prince might Impose to the Payment of which his Majesty was engaged in Honour and Nature However I am more charitable than to conclude all Papists imployed by this King so dishonest as to falsiâ—ie their Trust for if that followed as a necessary consequence God help this poor Nation that had before then and long after few Commissioned in any affair of Importance but such as were that way affected or wholly indifferent It being the intent of Providence to use his help it may be as he did of Pharoah's Daughter to preserve this Vertuous Lady out of danger whose Misfortunes kindled such a Fire in Germany as before it was extinguished lick'd up the choicest Blood in the Austrian Family some one or other prosecuting the like Attempt amongst whom was Count Mansfield that had little else than his own Fortune and Valour to carry him so far as he went but what he punctually did or promised to do was at too great a distance to be certainly known more than could be Learned from the Eccho it made at Court which sounded diversly according to the Inclinations and hollowness of their Hearts that made the Reverberation This is certain That Mansfield was in appearance well received at Court but how King James could like a Man that laboured to bring in so Anti-Monarchial a Precedent as to struggle for Liberty with his Native Prince I cannot but question who himself daily inculcate into the People through the Mediation of his Divines and by the Terror of his Laws That no other Refuge was left in any saving Experiment during the unjustest and most cruel Tyranny but Prayers and Tears a Tenet if he had believed himself or thought such as owned either Prudence or Power did he would doubtless have Governed much better or if possible abused the Nation and debauched his Succession much worse Yet to give a countenance to a Business he had so shamefully disparaged before he sent for the Count over in one of his Royal Ships which was cast away
delivered such a Verdict as they did and a just one upon their Views tho upon some of their Knowledges it was not that Lady they were to give Verdict upon Now is the Nullity pronounced and the Marriage with Somerset speedily Solemnized for which they and the whole Family of Suffolk paid dear in after time and had sowre Sauce to that sweet Meat of their great Son-in-Law And surely he was the most unfortunate in that Marriage being as generally Beloved as for himself and Disposition as Hated afterwards for his linking himself in that Family For in all the time of this Man's Favour before this Marriage he did nothing obnoxious to the State or any base thing for his private gain but whether this was his own Nature that curbed him or that there was then a Brave Prince living and a Noble Queen that did awe him we cannot so easily judge because after this Marriage and their Death he did many ill things Now began to appear a glimmering of a new Favorite one Mr. George Villers a younger Son by a second Venter of an Ancient Knight in Leicester-shire his Father of an Ancient Family his Mother of a Mean and a Waiting-Gentlewoman whom the Old-Man fell in Love with and Married by whom he had Three Sons all raised to the Nobility by meanâ— of their Brother Favorite This Gentleman was come but newly from Travel and did believe it a great Fortune to Marry a Daughter of Sir Roger Aston's and in truth 't was the height of his Ambition and for that only end was a hanger upon the Court The Gentlewoman loved him so well as could all his Friends have made herâ— great Fortune but an hundred Markâ— Joynter she had Married him presently in despight of all of them But before the closing up of this Match the King cast a glancing Eyâ— towards him which was easily observed by such as minded their Princes Humor and then the Match was â—aid aside some assuring him a greater Fortune was coming unto him Then one gave him his place of Cupâ—earer that he might be in the King's Eye another sent to his Mercer and Taylor to put good Cloaths on him a third to his Sempster for curious Linnen and all as In-comes to obtain Offices on his future rise Then others took upon them to be his Bravo's to undertake his Quarrels upon Affronts put upon him by Somerset's Faction so all hands helped to the piecing up this new Favorite Then began the King to Eat abroad who formerly used to Eat in his Bed-Chamber or if by chance Supped in his Bed Chamber would come forth to see Pastimes and Fooleries in which Sir Edward Souch Sir George Goring and Sir J. Finet were the chief and Master Fools and surely this Fooling got them more than any others Wisdom far above them in Desert Souch's part was to Sing Bawdy Songs and to tell Bawdy Tales Finet to compose these Songs Theâ— were a Sett of Fidlers brought up on purpose for this Fooling And Goring was Master of the Game for Fooleries sometimes presenting David Droman and Archee Armstrong the King's Fool on the back of the other Fools to Tilt at one another till they fell together by the Ears sometimes Antick Dances but Sir John Millisent who was never known before was commended for a notable Fool With this Jollity was this new Favorite ushered in This made the House of Suffolk fret and Somerset carried himself more proudly and his Bravado's ever quarrelling with the others which by his Office of Lord-Chamberlain for a while carried it but Somerset using of Sir Ralph Wynwooâ— whom himself brought in for Secretary of State in so scornful a manner he having only the Title the Earl himself keeping the Seals and doing the Business made Wynwood endeavor to ruine him who soon got an opportunity by frequenting the Countess of Shrewsburies then Prisoner in the Tower who told Wynwood on a time That Overbury was Poysoned which she understood from Sir Gervase Elwayes who did labour by her means to deal with her Two Sons-in-Law Arundel and Pembroke Winwood being also great with that â—action that when it came into question he might save his own Stake who truly was no otherwise Guilty but that he did not discover it at Weston's first disclosing it he being Keeper of the Prison so by Inâ—erence his not disclosing it was Overbury's Death and had he revealed it then he certainly had been brought into the Star-Chamber for it and undone for it was not the Time fit for discovery Winwood it was thought acquainted the King with it knowing how willingly he would have been rid of Somerset yet the King durst not bring it in question nor any Doubt ever would have been had not Somerset sought to cross him in his Passion of Love to his new Favorite in which the King was more impatient than any Woman to enjoy her Love Not long after Thrumbal Agent at Bruxels had by an Apothecaries Boy one Reeve after an Apothecary himself in London who lived sometime after gotten hold of this Poysoning business for Reeve having under his Master made some of these desperate Medicines either run away or else his Master sent him out of the way and fell in Company with Thrumbal's Servants at Bruxels to whom he revealed it and they to their Master who Examining the Boy discover'd the Truth Thrumbal presently wrote to Secretary Wynwood he had business of consequence to discover but would not send it therefore desired License to come over The King would not yield to his Return but willed him to send an Express That Thrumbal utterly refused and very wisely for letting any thing appear under his Hand leâ—t the Boy should Die or run away and then himself made the Author of that which the Courtesie of another must have justified The King being of a longing Disposition rather than he would not know admitted Thrumbal's Return and now had they good Testimony by the Apothecary who revealed Weston Mrs. Turner and Franklin to be the principal Agents yet this being now the time of Progress was not stired till about Michaelmas But still Wynwood now carry himself in a kind of braving way of Contestation against Somerset struck in with the Faction of Villers's And now on Progress the King went Westward where at the several places as he came he was highly Treated After all his Feastings homewards came the King who desired by all means to reconcile this Clashing between his declining and rising Favorite to which end at Lulworth the King imployed Sir Humphry May a great Servant to Somerset and a wise Servant to Villers but with such Instructions as if it came from himself and Villers had order presently after Sir Humphry May's return to present himself and Service to Somerset My Lord said he Sir George Villers will come to you to offer his Service and desire to be your Creature and therefore refuse him not Embrace him and your Lordship shall still stand a great
Man tho' not the sole Favorite My Lord seemed averse Sir Humphry then told him in plain terms That he was sent by the King to advise it and that Villers would come to him to cast himself into his Protection to take his Rise under the shaddow of his Wings Sir Humphry May was not parted from my Lord half an hour but in comes Sir George Villers and used these very words My Lord I desire to be your Servant and your Creature and shall desire to take my Court-Preferment under your Favour and your Lordship shall find me as faithful a Servant unto you as ever did Serve you My Lord returned this quick and short Answer I will none of your Service nor you shall none of my Favour I will if I can break your Neck and of that be confident This was but a harsh Complement and favoured more of Spirit than Wisdom and since that time breaking each others Necks was their aims And it is verily believed had Somerset complyed with Villers Overbury's Death had still lain reaked up in his own Ashes but God who will never suffer Murther to go unpunished will have what He will maugre all the Wisdom of the World To Windsor doth the King return to end his Progress from thence to Hampton-Court then to White-Hall and shortly after to Royston to begin his Winter-Journey And now begins the Game to be plaid in which Somerset must be the Loser the Cards being shuffled cut and dealt between the King and Sir Edward Coke Chief Justice whose Daughter Purbeck Villers had Married and therefore a fit Instrument to ruine Somerset and Secretary Wynwood These all play'd the Stake Somerset's Life and his Ladie 's their Fortunes and the Family of Suffolk some of them played Booty and in truth the Game was not played above-board The Day the King went from White-Hall to Theobalds and so to Royston He sent for all the Judges his Lords and Servants encircling him where kneeling down in the midst he used these Words My Lords the Judges It is lately come to my hearing that you have now in examination a business of Poysoning Lord in what a most miserable Condition shall this Kingdom be the only famous Nation for Hospitality in the World if our Tables should become such a Snare as none could eat without danger of Life and the Italian Custom should be introduced among us Therefore my Lords I charge you as you will answer it at the great and dreadful Day of Judgment that you examine it strickly without Favour Affection or Partiality and if you shall spare any guilty of this Crime God's Curse light on you and your Posterity And if I spare any that are found guilty God's Curse light on Me and my Posterity for ever But how this dreadful Thunder-Curse or Imprecation was performed shall be shewed hereafter The King with this took his Farewel for a time of London and was accompanied with Somerset to Royston where no sooner he brought him but instantly took leave little imagining what Viper lay amongst the Herbs Nor must I forget to let you know how perfect the King was in the Art of Dissimulation or to give it his own Phrase King-Craft The Earl of Somerset never parted from him with more seeming Affection than at this time when he knew Somerset should never see him more The Earl when he kissed his Hand the King hang'd about his Neck flabbering his Cheeks saying When shall I see you again On my Soul I shall neither eat nor sleep until youâ— come again The Earl told him on Monday this being on the Friday For God's-sake let me said the King Shall I shall I Then lolled about his Neck Then for God's-sake give thy Lady this Kiss for me In the same manner at the Stairs-head at the middle of the Stairs and at the Stairs-foot the Earl was scarcely in his Coach when the King used these very words in the hearing of four Servants of whom one was Somerset's great Creature and of the Bed-Chamber who reported it afterwards to many about the Court I shall never see his Face more I appeal to the Reader whether this Motto of Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare was not as well performed in this Passage as his Beati Pacifici in the whole course of his Life and his Love to the latter made him be beaten with his own Weapon in the other by all Princes and States that had to do with him But before Somerset's Approach to London his Countess was apprehended at his Arrival himself And the King being that Night at Supper said to Sir Thomas Morson My Lord Chief Justice hath sent for you He asked the King when he should wait on him again who replyed You may come when you can And as in the Story of Byron and many others there have been many foolish Observations as presage so was there in this Gentleman who was the King's Master Faulconer and in truth for his extraordinary Dexterity and Skill no Prince in Christendom ever had the like So that you see the Plot was so well laid as they could be all within the Toil at one instant not knowing of each other Now are in Hold the Earl his Countess Sir Thomas Monson Mistress Turner a very lewd and infamous Woman of life Weston and Franklin with some others of less Note of which one Simon a Servant of Sir Thomas Monson's who was employed in carrying Jelly and Tart to the Tower who upon his Examination for his pleasant Answer was instantly dismissed My Lord told him Simon you have had a hand in this Poysoning Business No my good Lord I had but one Finger in it which almost cost me my Life and at the best cost me all my Hair and Nails for the truth was Simon was somewhat liquorish and finding the Syrrup swim from the top of a Tart as he carried it he did with his Finger skim it off and it was to be believed had he known what it had been he would not have been his Taster at so dear a Rate And now poor Mrs. Turner Weston and Franklin began the Tragedy Mrs. Turner's Day of Mourning being better than the Day of her Birth for she died very penitently and shewed much modesty in her last Act which is to be hoped was accepted of with God after that died Weston then was Franklin Arraigned who confessed that Overbury was smoothered to Death not poysoned to Death though he had Poyson given him In the next place came the Countess to her Tryal at whose Arraignment as also at Mrs. Turner's before were shewed many Pictures poppeâ—â— with some Exrocism and Magiâ—â— Spells which made them appear more odious as being known to converse with Witches and Wizards The next that came on the Stage was Sir Thomas Monson but the Night before he was to come to his Tryal the King being at the Game of Maw said To Morrow comes Tom Monson to his Tryal Yea said the King's Card-holder where if he do
for it is Riches makes Men Cowards Poverty Daring and Valiant to adventure at any thing to get something yet did not Buckingham dâ— things wholly for nothing but what their Purses could not stretch unto they paid in Pensions out of their Place all which went to maintain his numerous Beggarly Kindred Bacon paid a Pension Heath Attorney paid a Pension Bargrave Dean paid a Pension with multitudes oâ— others Fotherby made Bishop oâ— Salisbury paid down 3500 l. for hiâ— Bishoprick There were Books of Rates on all Offices Bishopricks Deaneries in England that could teâ—â— you what Fines what Pensions otherwise had it been impossible such a numerous Kindred could have been maintained as Buckingham's was with Three Kingdoms Revenue And now Buckingham having the Chancellor Treasurer and all great Officers his very Slaves swells in the height of Pride summons up all his Country Kindred the Old Countess providing a place for them to learn to carry themselves in a Court-like Garb. Then must these Women-Kindred be Married to Earls Earls Eldest Sons Barons or chief Gentlemen of greatest Estates insomuch that the very Female Kindred were so numerous as sufficient to have Peopled any Plantation Nay very Kitchin-Wenches were Married to Knights Eldest Sons Then was there a Parliament Summoned in which Bacon for his Injustice was thrust out being closely Prosecuted by one Morby a Woodmonger and one Wreham and was by the said Parliament justly put out of his Place In Bacon's place comes Williams a man on purpose brought in at first to serve turns but in this place to do that which none of the Laiety could be found bad enough to undertake This Williams though he wanted much of his Predecessors Abilities for the Law yet he equall'd him for Learning and Pride and beyond him in the way of Bribery This man answering by Petitions a new way in which his Servants had one Part himself another and so was calculated to be worth to Himself and Servants Three thousand Pounds per Annum And now being come to the height of his Preserment he did estrange himself from the Company of the old Countess having much younger Ware who had Keys to his Chamber to come to him yet was there a Necessity of keeping him in this Place for a time the Spanish Match being yet in Chase and if it succeeded this Man was to clap the Great Seal through his Ignorance in the Laws to such Things that none that understood the Danger by knowing the Laws would venture upon and for this Design he was at first brought in no Prince living knowing how to make use of Men better than King James The Spanish Match having been long in Treaty and it being suspected now that the Spaniard did juggle with the State in this as they formerly did in a Match with that brave Prince Henry and in truth in all other Things wherein any Negotiation had been only feeding the King with fair Hopes and fair Words yet foul Deeds Whether the King suspected any such Matters or any Whimsie came in the Brain of the great Favourite and Prince to imitate the old Stories of the Knights-Errand but agreed it was it should seem between the Favourite and the Prince only no one other so much as dreaming of any such Adventure except Cottington which also accompanied them that the Prince must go himself into Spain Away they went under the borrowed Names of Jack and Tom Smith to the amazement of all wise Men only accompanied with Three more Persons taking their way by France had the Ports laid so that none should follow them or give any Notice to the French-Court till they might get the start c. Yet their Wisdoms made them adventure to stay in the French-Court and look on that Lady whom he after Married And there did this Mars imitate one of Prince Arthur's Knights in seeking Adventures in foreign Princes Territories First beheld this French Beauty Mars visemque cupit patiturque cupita as in our Discourse will afterward appear From thence away to Spain but as the Journey was only plotted by young Heads it was so childishly carried that they escaped the French-King's Curriers very narrowly but escape they did and arrived safely in Spain their wished Port before either welcome or expected by our Ambassadors or that State Yet now must the best Face be put on at all hands that put their Grandees to new Shifts and our Ambassador the Earl of Bristol to try his Wit For at that time Sir W. Aston was also Ambassador at Spain in all Occurrences Aston complyed with the Prince and Duke Bristol rancounter and the Duke and Bristol hated each other mortally Bristol had the advantage of them there as having the much better Head-piece and being more conversant and dear to that State wholly complying with them and surely had done them very acceptable Services and in this very Treaty was of the Pack Buckingham had the advantage of him in England for although the King did not hate Buckingham yet was so awed that he durst not discover it Then Buckingham had all Interest in his Successor by this Journey so that he layd a present and future Foundation for his succeeding Greatness For all his Power and Greatness Bristol did not forbear to put all Scorns Affronts and Tricks on him and Buckingham lay so open as gave the other advantage enough by his Lascivious Carriage and Miscarriage Amongst all his Tricks he play'd One so cunningly that it cost him all the Hair on his Head and put him to the Dyet for it should seem he made court to Conde Olivâ—res's Lady who was very handsom But it was so plotted betwixt the Lady her Husband and Bristol that instead of that Beauty he had a Notorious Stew sent to him and surely his Carriage there was so Lascivious that had ever the Match been really intended for our Prince yet such a Companion or Guardian was enough to have made them believe that he was that way inclined and so have frustrated the Marriage that being a grave and sober Nation Bucking being of a light and loose Behaviour and had not the Prince himself been of an extraordinary staid Temper the other had been a very ill Guardian unto him But now many Lords flock over and many Servants that he might appear the Prince of Great Britain and like himself though he came thither like a private Person Many Treaties were sometimes Hope sometimes Fear sometimes great Assurance then all dasht again and however his Entertainment was as great as possible that State could afford yet was his Addresses to and with the Lady such as rendred him mean and a private Person rather than a Prince of that State that formerly had made Spain feel the Weight of their Anger and Power and was like a Servant not a Suitor for he never was admitted but to stand bare-head in her Presence nor to talk with her but in a full Audience with much Company At last after many Heats
and Cools many Hopes and Despairs the Prince wrote a Letter to his Father of a desperate Despair not only of not enjoying his Lady but of never more returning with this Passage You must now Sir look upon my Sister and her Children forgetting ever you had such a Son and never thinking more of Me. Now the Folly of this Voyage plotted only by green Heads began to appear many shewing much Sorrow many smiling at their Follies and in truth glad in their Hearts and however the King was a cunning Dissembler and shewed much outward Sorrow as he did for Prince Henry's Death yet something was discerned which made his Court believe little Grief came near his Heart for that Hatred he bore to Buckingham long as being Satiated with him and his Adoring the Rising-Sun not looking after the Sun-Setting made the World believe he would think it no ill Bargain to lose his Son so Buckingham might be lost also The Reason the King so hated Buckingham was besides his being weary of Him and his Marriage after which the King's Edge was ever taken off from all Favourites yet this had so much the over-awing Power of Him that He durst not make Shew to affect any other There was one Inniossa a Spanish Ambassador extraordinary being an old Souldier and a Gallant Fellow thought that Buckingham did not give that Respect to Him which was due to his own Person or to the Person of so Great a King whose Person He represented This Inniosa being a daring Gentleman used some Speeches in Derogation of the Prince and Buckingham as if they were dangerous to the old King Nay Inniosa sent one Padro Mecestria a Spanish Jesuit and a great States-man to King James to let Him know that He under Confession had found the King was by Buckingham or by his Procurement to be Killed but whether by Poyson Pistol Dagger c. he could not tell The King after the Hearing of this was extreamly Melancholly and in that Passion was found by Buckingham at his return to Him The King as soon as ever He espyed him said Ah Stenny Stenny for so He ever called him in familiarity Wilt Thou kill Me At which Buckingham started and said Who Sir hath so abused You At which the King sate Silent Out went Buckingham Fretting and Fuming asked Who had been with the King in his Absence It was told him Padro Mecestria Then Buckingham went immediately and questioned Padro Mecestria Which Quarrel Inniâ—ssa undertook and told him He would maintain him a Traytor and wear his Master's Person off him He was a Chivalier and better Born than Himself and would make it Good on Him with his Sword Buckingham being fully Satisfied on several Accounts of the great Hatred the King now bare unto him He turned as great an Hater of the King and though the King had more Power to Revenge He had less Courage and Buckingham less Power and more Courage sharpned with Revenge And however the World did believe the King's Inclination was out of a Religious Ground that He might not Revenge yet it was no other but a Cowardly Disposition that durst not adventure But although the King lost his Opportunity on Buckingham yet the Black Plaister and Powder did shew Buckingham lost not his on the King and that it was no Fiction but a Reality that Padro Mecestria had formerly told the King And now to return from this Digression which is not impertinent besides a great Secret The Prince returns from Spain contrary to Expectation in which the Wisdom and Gravity of the Spaniard failed him especially if they did believe Padro Mecestria besides Nature could not long Support the old King and then the Spaniard might have made no little Advantage by enjoying such a Pledge Now is all the Fault of the Match not succeeding laid on Digby's False Play and Unfaithfulness to his Master and Combining with the Spaniard for his own Ends And Buckingham the most Hated Man then living from an Accused Man in the former Parliament came to be the very Darling of this Parliament In the Banquetting-Hhouse before both Houses of Parliament does Buckingham give an Account at large of his Spanish-Voyage and to every full Point as a further Attestation he saith How say You Sir To which the Prince answered I Yea or Yes and thorough all his Discourse laboured to make Bristol as hateful to this Parliament as Himself had been to the Former Bristol having some Friends that sent him Advice of All into Spain He immediately Posts for England makes Buckingham's Relation and Accusation wholly Scandalous and False and becomes a great Favourite to King James In this Place I hold it not unfit to shew the Reader how the King hath ever been Abused and would be abused by over-much Credulity in the Treaty of Spain for Marriages as well as in all other Negotiations You shall now perceive how the King was Abused in this Treaty which was an Error inexcusable in Himself and whole Council The Italians having a Proverb He that Deceives me Once it is his Fault but if Twice it is my Fault This second time could not but be the only Fault of the King and Council In Prince Henry's Life-time the King had a little Man but a very great and wise Councellor little Salisbury his Secretary of State that great Statesman who did Inherit all his Fathers Wisdom as well as his Offices There was a Treaty in the like case for Prince Henry Salisbury instantly discovered the Jugling before any other did think of any for although it went forward cunningly yet did Salisbury so put the Duke of Lerma unto it that either it must be or they must confess their Jugling The Duke of Lerma denied that ever there had been any Treaty or any Intention from that State Salisbury sent for the Ambassador to a full Council and told him How he had abused the King and State about a Treaty for Marriage which he had no Commission for that therefore he was liable to the Laws of our Kingdom For when any Servant doth abuse a State by their Master's Commission then that Servant was freed but without Commission was culpable and liable to be Punished by the Laws of that State as being disavowed to be Servant to the King his Master The Ambassador answered gravely He did not understand the cause of his coming therefore was then unprepared to give any Answer but on Monday he would again come and give his Answer On Monday he comes begins with these words My Soul is my God's my Life my Master 's my Reputation my Own I will not forfeit my First and Last to preserve the Second Then lays down his Commission and Letters of Instruction under the Duke of Lerma's own Hand He acquitted himself Honestly in this State yet lost his own being instantly sent for Home where he lived and dyed in Disgrace here was Legatus vir bonus peregre missus sed non ad mentiendum reipublicae causa
Advancing the King's Revenue First Levying of Customs and Impost on all Merchandize supposed to be settled to the King by the Two last Parliaments Privy Seals also were Issued out and Benevolence proposed and at length a Commission for a General Loan was Resolved on Sir Randolph Crew for not appearing Vigorous in promoting the Loan was Displaced from being Lord-Chief-Justice the Bishop of Lincoln was likewise Informed against in the Star-Chamber by Sir J. Lamb and Dr. Sibthorp for speaking against the Loan and seeming to Favour the Puritans and Non-Conformists The Assessment of the Loan was generally Opposed whereupon the People of the lower Rank were ordered to Appear in the Millitary-Yard next St. Martins in the Fields before the Lieutenant of the Tower to be Listed for Souldiers it being thought Necessary that those which refused to Assist with their Purses in Common Defence should be forced to Serve in their Persons Others of better Quality were bound to Appear at the Council-Table several of whom were Committed Prisoners to the Fleet Marshalsea Gate-house c. and among others Sir J. Elliot who Petitioned His Majesty and repeated many Precedents That all manner of Taxes in former King's Reigns were never Levied but by the General Consent of the Nobility and Commons Assembled in Parliament However he was Committed Prisoner to the Gate-House and upon the same account Sir P. Haymon was Commanded to Serve the King in the Palatinate which he did accordingly Doctor Sibthorp and Dr. Maynwaring two Eminent Preachers at Court about this time Preached up the Necessity and Duty of the Loan One of them Asserting That the Prince had Power to Direct his Council and make Laws and that Subjects if they cannot exhibit Active Obedience in case the Thing commanded should be against the Law of God or Nature or more impossible yet nevertheless they ought to yield Passive Obedience and in all other Cases they were bound to Active Obedience The other Affirmed That the King 's Royal Command in Imposing of Laws and Taxes though without Common Consent in Parliament did Oblige the Subject's Conscience upon Pain of Eternal Damnation Which Position being entertain'd by the Court with Applause the Sermon of Dr. Sibthorp's call'd Apostolick Obedience was Licensed by Doctor Laud Bishop of London And an express Command was sent from the King to Arch-Bishop Abbot to Licence it which he refused Whereupon he was Suspended from his Archiepiscopal-Sea In 1627. being the Third Year of His Majesty's Reign the Duke of Buckingham to clear his Reputation as to the Charge of Negligence in his Admiralship with much ado Compleated his Naval Forces consisting of Six thousand Horse and Foot in Ten Ships Royal and Ninety Merchant-Men with which he set Sail from Portsmouth June 27th and Published a Manifesto of the K.'s Affections to the Reformed Churches in France But by several Accidents this Great Design miscarried At this Time the Exchequer was very low and several late Enterprizes having miscarried it was Resolved That a Parliament should be immediately Called and Writs were accordingly Issued out A Commission likewise passed under the Great Seal for raising Moneys through the Kingdom in nature of an Excise There was some Discourse of Levying of Ship-Money but it was declined at that Time because of the Parliament's approaching Upon the 17th of March 1627 the Parliament Assembled and the King with the Lord-Keeper in two Speeches earnestly Pressed them to Consider of some speedy way for Supplying His Majesty's Necessities The first Thing taken into Consideration by the Commons was the Grievance of the Kingdom and the first Thing insisted on was the Case of those Gentlemen for refusing the Loan and who notwithstanding their Habeas Corpus were remanded to Prison and it was Resolved in the House Nemine contradicente That no Man ought to be Restrained by the King or Privy-Council without some Cause of the Commitment Secondly That the Writ of Habeas Corpus ought to be Granted upon Request to every Man that is Restrained though by the Command of the King and Privy-Council or any other Thirdly That if a Free-man be Imprisoned by the Command of the King c. and no Cause of such Commitment expressed and the same be Returned upon an Habeas Corpus granted for the said Party then he ought to be Delivered or Bailed Then the Parliament proceeded to draw up a Petition against Popish Recusants to which the King gave them a Satisfactory Answer After which Five Subsidies were granted to the K. which gave so great Satisfaction to His Majesty that He sent them word He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessors had granted Whereupon the Commons fell upon the Memorable Petition of Right and was afterwards agreed to by both Houses that it should be settled to the King And when the Petition was Presented to His Majesty the Answer following was quickly returned The King willeth that Right be done according to Law and Customs of the Realm and the Statutes be put in due Execution that His Subjects may have no Cause to complain of any Wrongs or Oppressions contrary to their just Rights and Liberties to the Preservation whereof He holds Himself in Conscience as well Obliged as to that of his Prerogative This Answer being read in the House of Commons was not judged Satisfactory and therefore upon their humble Petition His Majesty to shew how Free and Candid His Concessions were to His Subjects sent them this short but full Answer Soit Droit Fait come il est desire Let it be done according to your Desire Which Answer mightily pleased both Houses and His Majesty for further Satisfaction suffered the Commission of Loan and Excise to be Cancelled and received Abbot and Williams into his Favour again so that all Discontents on every side seemed to be Banished In 1628. the Fourth Year of His Majesty's Reign the Parliament drew up a Remonstrance against Buckingham and against Bishop Neal and Bishop Laud which they Presented to the King with the Bill of Subsidies His Majesty telling them That He expected not such a Return for His favourable Answer to the Petition of Right and as for the Grievances He would take time to Consider An Information being likewise exhibited against the Duke in the Star-Chamber an Order was made in that Court That all Proceedings thereupon should be taken off the File by the King 's express Will and Pleasure And the King being resolved to hold up the Duke sent so brisk an Answer to their Remonstrances as provoked the Commons to question his taking Tunnage and Poundage which being of too valuable a consideration to be hazarded His Majesty Obviated by Adjourning the Parliament to the 20. of Octob. following The Earl of Danby having Sailed with Fifty Ships to the Relief of Rochel was repelled with much Loss so that despairing of Success he returned back to Plimouth Whereupon another Expedition was resolved on with a more considerable Navy and the Duke
the House of Commons Voted That the Clergy in a Synod or Convocation have no Power to make Canons or Laws without Parliaments and that the Canons are against the Fundamental Laws of this Realm the King's Prerogative and the Property of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and tend to Faction and Sedition In pursuance hereof a Charge was ordered to be drawn up against Arch-Bishop Laud as the Principal Framer of those Canons and other Delinquencies which Impeachment was Seconded by another from the Scotch Commissioners Upon which he was Committed to the Black-Rod and Ten Weeks after Voted Guilty of High-Treason and sent to the Tower The Scots likewise preferred a Charge against the Earl of Strafford then in Custody requiring Justice against them both as the great Incendiaries and Disturbers both of Church and State The Lord-Keeper Finch was the next Person designed to be Censured and notwithstanding a Speech made in his own Vindication He was Voted a Traytor upon several Accounts But he fore-saw the Storm and went over into Holland Upon Monday March 26. 1640 the Earl of Strafford's Tryal began in Westminster-Hall the King Queen and Prince being present and the Commons being there likewise as a Committee at the managing their Accusation The Earl of Strafford though he had but short Warning yet made a Noble Defence The Accusation was managed by Mr. Pym consisting of Twenty eight Articles to most of which the Earl made particular Replies But the Commons were resolved to Prosecute him to Death and had therefore not only procured the Parliament of Ireland to Prosecute him there as Guilty of High-Treason but resolved to proceed against him by Bill of Attainder which they proceeded to dispatch And April 19. 1641. they Voted the Earl Guilty of High-Treason upon the Evidence of Secretary Vane and his Notes And upon the 25th they passed the Bill and sent it to the Lords for their Concurrence who a few Days after likewise agreed to it The Bill being finished and the K. fearing the Conclusion and being willing to do some good Office to the Earl His Majesty May 1. 1641 Calls both Honses together and in a Speech tells them That he had been present at the Hearing that great Cause and that in his Conscience possitively he could not Condemn him of High-Treason and yet could not clear him of Misdemeanours but hoped a way might be found out to Satisfie Justice and their Fears without oppressing his Conscience And so dismissed them to their great Discontent Which was propogated so far that May 3. were One thousand Citizens most of them Armed came thronging down to Westminster crying out for Justice against the Earl of Strafford The Commons had now finished a Bill for the Continuance of the Parliament which having passed the Lords was tendred to the King to be Signed together with the Bill for the Attainder of the E. of Strafford His Majesty Answered That on Monday following He would Satisfie them and on the Sunday the King spent the whole Day with the Judges and Bishops in Consulting The Judges told him That in Point of Law according to the Oath made by Sir Henry Vane he was Guilty of Treason The Bishops all agreed That the King might shew Mercy without Scruple and that he could not Condemn the Earl if he did not think him Guilty This was to matter of Fact but as to matter of Law He was to rest in the Opinion of the Judges Monday May 10. the King gives Commission to several Lords to Pass two Bills One The Bill of Attainder against the Earl of Strafford The Other Fâ—r continuing the Parliament during the pleasure of both Houses Which last Act was occasioned for Satisfying the Scots The next Day the King being troubled about the Earl writes a Letter to the House of Lords telling them That whereas Justice had been satisfied in his Condemnation an intermixture of Mercy would not now be unseasonable and therefore He desired them that if it might be done without any Discontent to the People the Earl might be permitted to fulfil the Natural Course of his Life in close Imprisonment Sequestred from all Publick Affairs provided he never attempted to make an Escape However He thought it a Work of Charity to Reprieve him till Saturday But nothing could be Obtained in Favour of him The Fall of this Powerful Man so startled other great Officers of State that several Resigned their Places July 5. A Charge was brought into the House of Commons against Dr. Wren Bishop of Ely being Accused of Treasonable Misdemeanours in his Diocess August 6. Both the English and Scotch Armies were Disbanded and Four Days after the King went towards Scotland and was Entertained with great Demonstrations of Affection by that Nation and Conferred several Places of Honour and Power upon divers of them He Confirmed likewise the Treaty between the Two Nations by Act of Parliament October 23 1641. A Horrid and Notorious Rebellion broke out in Ireland which was in divers Places managed with such Secresie that it was not Discovered at Dublin till the Night before it was to be put in Execution but in most other Places of the Kingdom it was carried on with such Fury That two hundred thousand English Men Women and Children were in a short Space barbarously Murdered The Irish to Dishearten the English from any Resistance bragged That the Queen was with their Army That the King would come amongst them also and Assist them That they did but maintain His Cause against the Puritans That they had the King's Com-Commission for what they did The Lords Justices sent Sir H. Spotswood to the King then in Scotland with an Account of all that happened He dispatched Sir J. Stuart with Instructions to the Lords of the Privy-Council in Ireland and to carry all the Money his present Stores would supply He likewise sent an Express to the Parliament of England as being near for their Assistance but they excused it And indeed the Irish pretended that the Scots were in Confederacy with them and to seem to Confirm it they abstained for some time from destroying the Estates or Murdering any of that Nation And on the other-side to Encourage the Irish they produced pretended Letters wherein they said They were Informed from England That the Parliament had passed an Act that all the Irish should be Compelled to the Protestant Worship and for the First Offence in refusing to Forfeit all their Goods for the Second their Estates and for the Third their Lives And besides this they presented them with the Hopes of Liberty That the English Yoak should be shaken off That they should have a King of their own Nation and that then all the Goods and Estates of the English should be divided amongst them With these Motives of Spoil and Liberty which were strengthned by the Former of Religion the Rebellion was carried on throughout the whole Kingdom The King being returned out of Scotland December 2d Summoned both Houses