Committee of the Lords and Commons to reside there for the better securing the Garrison to them and gave the Governor power to raise the Trained Bands for his defence after which the King hearing that the Parliament had raised a Guard of themselves without his consent and reflecting upon the business of Hotham he summoned the Gentry of Yorkshire to a Meeting and acquainted them That his Magazine at Hull was going to be taken from him against his will the Militia against the Law and his consent put in execution and Sir John Hothams Treason countenanced so that he was resolved to have a Guard to secure his person in which he desired their assistance that he might be able to protect them the Laws and the true Protestant Religion from violation or injury The King had hereby indifferently strengthened himself and more had come in had not those Members of Parliament who came to the King at York prevailed with some of the Free-holders to protest against it And the Parliament declare That the Subjects unless bound to it by special Service could not be commanded to attend the King at his pleasure without transgressing against the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom And that whosoever upon pretence of his Majesties Command shall take up Arms in a warlike manner shall be esteemed disturbers of the peace and to be proceeded against accordingly In the mean while Sir Thomas Gardiner who had been Recorder of London for six years being Impeached by the Parliament and in danger of hanging was glad to shift for himself and by flight escaped to the King at which time his Majesty endeavoured to have removed the Term from London to York but was much opposed therein by the Parliament who Voted it Illegal and forbid the L. Keeper to issue out Writs or Seal any Proclamation to that purpose The Parliament now proceed to put the people into a Military posture requiring all Persons in Authority to put the late Ordinance of the Militia in Execution which the King by his Proclamation forbids but for the Peoples satisfaction the Parliament publish'd a severe Declaration to the same Effect as their former Remonstrance only this was added That the King at his being in Scotland had countenanced the Irish in their Rebellious Designs and that his connivance was manifested by his tedious with-holding the Proclamation whereby they were declared Traytors till Jan. 2. being almost a Quarter of a Year after the breaking out of the Rebellion and then had appointed but forty Copies to be printed none of them to be published without his pleasure signified whereas his Proclamations against the Scots had been dispersed throughout all the Kingdom with publick Prayers and Execrations The King makes a speedy Answer hereunto not much differing from what he had said before yet tells them That as to the business of the Irish his Council in Ireland had desired them no sooner nor so many Copies by twenty as he had Signed and and sent them His Majesty had written a Letter to his Privy Council of Scotland to take away from them all suspicion of those Imputations so frequently laid to his Charge of being Popishly affected to be guilty of the bloodshed in Ireland and to bring in Forreign Forces Wherewith they seemed so satisfied that they returned a most respectful Answer and presently interposed their Mediation to heal the Breach before it grew wider humbly desiring the King to hearken to his Parliament as his greatest his best and most unparallel'd Council and discouraging him from any personal Journey into Ireland This Message was sent by the Earl of Lowden Chancellor of Scotland and after this the Scots Petition to the Kings Privy Council there Not to meddle with any verbal or real Engagement for the King against the Parliament Hereupon the English Parliament publish a Protestation wherein they vindicate their own proceedings and declare the great sense they had of the Affection of their Scotish Brethren manifested unto them in so many particulars and more especially the mentioned Petition The Earl of Bristol an Old Experienced Statesman prudently foresaw that such unhappy beginings must necessarily have a very bad Issue therefore earnestly endeavoured an Accommodation by stating the Case in the House of Lords representing the Offers of the King on the one side and the Professions of the Parliament on the other and likewise the dreadful Effects of a Civil War then likely to ensue by the Example of the woful Desolations in Germany and the expensive Troubles in Scotland and then proposes some methods for preventing these dangers as 1. That a select Committee of Parliament should truly state the matters in difference with the most probable ways of reconciling them 2. To consider particularly what may be expected either in point of supporting the King or releiving his People And lastly how the Conditions agreed upon may be secured And to shew the necessity of this course he discovers the deplorable State of Ireland the debts and necessities of the Crown the distractions which were likely to produce confusion of Religion most dangerous and destructive to a State besides the general Distraction of the Subjects who between Commands and Countermands knew not whom to obey This was admitted as good and solid Reason but Divine Justice would not so permit the Sins of the English Nation to go unpunished and the L. Bristols Speech though well received yet proved ineffectual In the mean time the Kings Guard increases at York which the House Voted a preparation for War against the Parliament a Breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People and that all such as serve him there are Traitors to the Laws of the Kingdom as the 11 Rich. 2. and the 1 Hen. 3. This was followed by another Declaration or Remonstrance of the misactions of the King and their own Priviledges which the King answers and they again reply to and May 28. the Parliament ordain That all Sheriffs Justices c. make stay of all Arms and Ammunition going to the King at York the King on the other side forbids all Persons belonging to the Trained Bands or Militia of the Kingdom to obey any Order or Ordinance of any of the Houses divers Members of both Houses withdrew themselves to the King as being unsatisfied with their proceedings whereupon the Parliament Ordered That all such as did not make their Personal Appearance by June 16 ensuing should be fined an 100 pounds toward the Irish Wars such only excepted as were imployed by the Parliament They likewise understood that the Queen had pawned the Crown Jewels in Holland for Money to be transported to the King which to prevent him of they order That whoever hath or shall pay lend send or bring any Money in Specie into this Kingdom for or upon those Jewels or accept of any Bill hereafter shall be an Enemy to the State June 2. The Parliament sent to the King Nineteen Proposition 1. That all the Kings Privy Council great Officers and Ministers of State may be put out except such as the Parliament shall approve and that an Oath be tendered them 2. That all Affairs of State be managed by the Parliament except such matters as are transferr'd by them to the Privy Council
much the more acceptable especially since his Majesty required but the Sum which few men would deny a Friend and has a mind resolved to expose all his Earthly Fortune for Preservation of the General The Sum which His Majesty requires by these presents is which His Majesty promiseth in the Name of himself his Heirs and Successors to repay to them or their Assigns within Eighteen Months after the payment thereof to the Collector The Person whom his Majesty hath appointed is to whose hands his Majesty doth require them to send it within Twelve days after they have received this Privy Seal which together with the Collectors Acquittance shall be sufficient Warrant to the Officers of Receipt for their payment thereof at the time limited And the Collectors of the Loan were ordered to pay the Sums received into the Exchequer and to return the Names of such as went about to delay or excuse the Payment of the Sums required And now about the beginning of October the Fleet set to Sea the Lord Cecill second Son to the Earl of Exeter commanding the Land Forces and the Earl of Essex being Vice Admiral at Sea but they were surprized by so violent a Storm that the greatest part of the Navy which in all made up Fourscore Ships some being Dutch were dissipated and scattered for seven days together and an excellent Ship with an 170 Passengers in her were all cast away and lost the Design was to have furprized Cadiz in Spain to burn the Ships in the Harbour and to have taken the Spanish Plate Fleet which was daily expected from the Indies but by reason of the Plague amongst them and some other miscarriages of the Commanders the business was wholly disappointed and the Fleet returned home but four days before the Plate Fleet came Upon the Second of February was the Coronation at which the King did not pass through the City in State from the Tower as was usual but went by Water from Whitehall to Westminster for fear of the danger of a Concourse of People the Pestilence which raged the year before not being quite ceased The Bishop of Lincoln as Dean of Westminster should have performed the chief part of the Ceremony but being under displeasure Dr. Laud then Bishop of St. Davids supplied his place Divers considerable Forces had been raised both for Sea and Land for the better Discipline of whom 150 old Souldiers were sent for from the Netherlands by whose Industry they were brought into some good order against the meeting of the next Parliament which was summoned to sit Feb. 6. And being met accordingly the House of Commons chose Sir Henage Finch for their Speaker The first business they insisted upon was the rendring thanks to the King for his gracious Answer to their late Petition concerning Religion then they debated of the Publick Grievances viz. The miscarrying of the Fleet at Cadiz the evil Councellors about the King misimploying the Kings Revenue an Account of the Subsidies and three Fifteens granted in the 21 Year of King James And in the Committee of Grievances these four particulars were insisted on 1. The state of the King in the constant Revenue of the Crown and how much it had been diminished by Gifts of Lands Grants of Pensions Fruitless Embassies the Privy Purse and other ways 2. The Condition of the Subject in his Freedom about laying new impositions multiplying Monopolies Leuying of Customs without Act of Parliament and wasting the Treasure 3. The Cause of the Nations good success in former times whereby it was feared Victorious and Renowned abroad which they judged was occasioned by the Wisdom and Gravity of Counsel who ordered nothing but by publick Debate whereby there arose a readiness in the People to Assist their Soveraign in Purse and Person 4. The present Condition of the Kingdom wherein was represented the loss of its wonted Reputation through the ill success at Algier in the Palatinate in Count Manfields Expedition and at Cadiz and this was imputed to the want of such Counsels as were formerly used since for fear of not succeeding men were now afraid of venturing either there Persons or Purses There was likewise a Committe concerning Religion and the growth of Popery wherein Mr. Richard Montagues two Books before mentioned were again questioned and Articles drawn up against him charging him with several Passages for encouraging Popery and drawing his Majesties Subjects from the true Religion Established into Error and Superstition with other passages dishonourable to the late King and full of injurious and railing Language against other Persons as likewise that he endeavoured to raise Factions in the Kingdom by casting the scandalous Name of Puritan upon such of his Majesties Subjects as conformed themselves to the Doctrine of the Church of England upon which the House of Commons ordered that he should be brought to Exemplary Punishment and to have his Books burnt nor do we find that he ever made any Defence or Answer to those Articles that were brought against him It is affirmed that a while before the sitting of the Parliament Dr. Laud understanding from the D. of Buckingham that the King intended to leave Mr. Montague to a Tryal was heard to utter these words Iseem to see a Cloud arising and threatning the Church of England God in his Mercy dissipate it After this the Commons questioned several persons who were of the Council of War upon the Affairs of the Palatinate concerning the management of that business complaint was likewise made in the House of the Scotch and Irish Nobility for claiming precedency of the Peers of England of which redress was promised but a while after the Lord Martrevers Eldest Son and Heir to the Earl of Arundel Married the Daughter of the late Duke of Lenox contrary to the Kings Mind who intended her for the Lord Lorn Son and Heir of the Earl of Argile whereupon the Earl of Arundel was committed to the Tower which upon the Peers Petitioned to the King alledging That no Peer sitting in the Parliament is to be imprisoned without Order from the House of Lords unless for Felony Treason or denying to give security for the Peace Upon this there arose a Dispute which lasted for the space of two Months and then the Earl was set at Liberty In which time the House of Commons were very busie in searching the Signet Office for the Original of a Letter under the Signet written to the Mayor of York for reprieving divers Jesuites Priests and other Popish Recusants This was reported by Mr. Pim Chairman to the Committee for Religion but their proceedings therein were interrupted by a Meffage from the King sent by Sr. Richard Weston Chancellor of the Exchequer demanding a supply for the English and Irish Forces This was so highly resented that Mr. Clement Cook one of the Members openly Protested That it was better to die by a Forreign Enemy than to be destroyed at home And Dr. Turner another of the House seconded him with
needing no further Abridgment That he was willing to concur with them for removal of any Innovations in Religion by a National Synod That he had no Counsellors nor Ministers of State whom he would not at any time expose to Trial and leave to the Law but cannot agree that any others should have the choice of them but himself That he concurs with them for not altering the Forfeited Lands in Ireland but thinks it not reasonable to resolve before the Event of War be seen and doubts not of their Loyal Endeavours for the support of his Royal State In Answer to the Remonstrance the King Issues out a Declaration to his Subjects the Sum of which was That he thought he had given sufficient satisfaction to his Peoples Fears and Jealonsies concerning Religion Liberty and Civil Interests by the Bills which he had passed this Parliament desiring that misunderstandings might be removed on either side and that the bleeding Condition of Ireland might perswade them to Unity for the relief of that unhappy Kingdom Not long after happened the Insolent Tumults of the London Apprentices who in a riotous manner went to White-hall and Westminster to the great disturbance of the King who thereupon commanded the Lord Mayor and Common Council to keep a double Watch and Guard for preventing mischief and Dec. 28. the King sends a Message to the Lords That he would raise Ten thousand Voluntiers for Ireland if the Commons would undertake to pay them On New-years day a Proclamation was published against the Irish declaring Those that were in Arms with all their Adherents and Abettors to be Rebels and Traytors Two days after the King upon Information that the L. Kimbolton and Five of the House of Commons viz. Mr. Hollis Sir Authur Haslerig Mr. Pym Mr Hamden and Mr. Stroud had correspondence with the Scots and countenanced the late City Tumults He thereupon ordered their Trunks Studies and Chambers to be Sealed up and their Person Seized the former of which was done but having timely notice they went aside upon which the Commons Voted the same day That if any Persons shall Attempt to Seize the Persons or Papers of any Parliament Men such Members shall require the Aid of the Constable to secure such Persons till further Order of the House and that it is lawful for any person to Assist the said Members and that the said Members may stand upon their Guard and make resistance according to the Protestation for defence of the Priviledges of Parliament Hereupon the King charges the L. Kimbolton and the 5 Members with several Articles and Acquaints both Houses That he did intend to prosecute them for High Treason and required that their Persons might be secured And the next day the King Attended with his Guard of Pensioners and some Hundreds of Gentlemen went to the House of Commons and the Guard staying without the King with the Palsgrave entred the House at whose entrance the Speaker rises out of the Chair and the King sitting down therein Views the House round and perceives the Birds he aimed at were flown for having warning they had withdrawn into London whereupon he tells them That he came to look for those 5 Members whom he had accused of High Treason and was resolved to have them where ever he found them and expected to have them sent to him as soon as they should come to the House but would not have them think that this Act of his was any Violation of Parliament This Act of the Kings was so highly resented by the House that the next day January 5 the Commons Voted it a Breach of Priviledge and Scandals were raised in the City that he intended Violence against the House of Commons and came thither with force to Murther several Members and used threatning Speeches against the Parliament with which the City was so possessed That unusual Guards and Watches were set as if some desperate Assault were to be made upon the City and the Houses Adjourned till the Tuesday following appointing a Committee in the mean time to sit at Guild-hall to consider of the most Effectual Means for their Security And then they publish a Declaration That whosoever shall Arrest any Member of Parliament by Warrant from the King only is Guilty of the Breach of Priviledges of Parliament and likewise that all those who attended the King when he came to demand the 5 Members were Guilty of a Traiterous Design against the King and Parliament That the Proclamation for Apprehending and Imprisoning the said Members was False Scandalous and Illegal and not of Validity enough to hinder them from attending the House and that the publishing of the several Articles of High Treason was a Breach of Priviledge wherefore they intreat his Majesty to discover the Names of those Informers and Evil Councellors declaring all such Persons to be publick Enemies to the State In the mean time the Londoners came thronging to Westminster with Petitions inveighing bitterly against some of the Peers but especially the Bishops whom they affronted as they went to the House upon which they were so affrighted that Twelve Bishops absent themselves from the House of Lords drawing up a Protestation against all Laws Orders Votes Resolutions and Determinations as in themselves null and of none effect which had passed or should pass during their forced Absence desiring their Protestation might be entred by the Clerk of the House of Peers Presently after which at a Conference between both Houses it was agreed That this Protestation of the Twelve Bishops did extend to the deep intrenching upon the fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliaments and in a short time they were accused of High Treason seized and brought on their knees at the Lords Bar Ten of them were committed to the Tower and the other two in regard of their Age to the Black Rod. The King at this time thinking himself unsafe without a Guard accepted of the offer of some Gentlemen of the Inns of Court to be a Guard to him which instead of security was by subtil men made more prejudicial to the King by taking this occasion to raise the rage and jealousie of the City against him for at midnight there were crys made â—n the Streets of London That all People should rise â—o their Defence for the King with his Papists were coming to fire the City and cut their Throats in their Beds than which though nothing were more false yet it found the effects of truth and the People by such Allarms being terrified from sleep the impressions of those night fears lay long upon their Spirits in the day and filled them almost with madness of which the King complained to the Common Council of London But the House of Commons to obviate this upon suspicion of some design upon their persons petition the King for a Guard to be commanded by the Earl of Essex of whose fidelity to the King and State no question was ever made This Petition was denied by the
his Secretary of Scotland that he expects their particular demands which he receives in three days all tending to require a Parliament to be called in England without which there could be no satisfactory redress for them they had likewise before their March into England published a Declaration called The Intentions of the Army viz. Not to lay down Arms till the Reformed Religion were setled in both Nations upon sure grounds and the Causes and Abbettors of their present Troubles that is Arch-Bishop Laud and the Earl of Strafford were brought to publick Justice in Parliament At the same time Twelve English Peers that is the Earls of Bedford Hartford Essex Warwick Mulgrave Bristol Bullingbrook Say and Seal Mandevil Howard Brook and Paget drew up a Petition which they delivered to the King for the sitting of the Parliament After which divers others were presented to the same purpose from the City of London and several other parts of the Kingdom all centring in this that nothing could relieve the Pressures of the Kingdom but a Parliament To this the King condescends in part giving hope likewise of further satisfaction ere long and 〈◊〉 the present Summons the Lords to appear at Yorâ— Sep. 24. which they did and upon the first day oâ— their meeting it was agreed That a Parliameâ—â— should be called to meet November 3 following anâ— then for the relief of the North sorely suffering under Leslies Army the Bishoprick of Durham beinâ— then taxed 360 l. and Northumberland 300 l. a day it was resolved that a Treaty should be set on Fooâ— and that Sixteen English Lords should meet with as many Scots and York was proposed for the placâ— of Treaty which the Scotch Commissioners refused as not judging it safe by reason of the presence oâ— the Earl of Strafford who hath proclaimed them Traytors in Ireland and was now chief Commander of the Kings Army and a Capital Enemy to their Nation and against whom they had matter of high Complaint therefore it was concluded to be held at Rippon where among other things it was agreed that the Scotch Army should be maintained by the English till the Treaty was ended and peace secured that there should be a safe Convoy for all Letters between the Scots and the Parliament of England The first of these Articles seemed unreasonable and dishonourable to the English Nation and the Earl of Strafford was so offended thereat that he desired leave of the King to give them Battel and was willing as he writ to Arch-Bishop Laud to undertake upon the Peril of his Head with his Army of English Grashoppers to beat those Sons of Anak home again for so much Superlour were the Scots then accounted to the English as to matter of Souldiers but October 16. the English Commanders whether through Fear Favour or out of a Political Maxim not to fight against the Scots condescended to Articles of Agreement which were afterward signed by the King himself This Treaty of Rippon was but previous to another of higher Importance at London for a general concluding and making up all differences between the King and his Subjects of Scotland during which Treaty James Earl of Montross made several Applications to the King and by Letters offered his service to him testifying his disslike of the Scotâ—ish Proceedings but these his Letters were said to have been secretly taken out of the Kings Pockets and conveyed to the Covenanters by the means of Hamilton who understanding Montross his design used all means to render him odious to the People and so unserviceable to the King And now the time approached for the sitting of the Parliament who accordingly met November 3. 1640 which was looked upon by Arch-Bishop Laud as a fatal day for Summoning of Parliaments in reference to Church matters the Parliament in King Henry the Eighths time which pulled down Abbies and Monasteries being likewise Assembled upon November 3. Whereupon he advised the King for lucks sake to put off their meeting for 2 or 3 dayes but the King not minding any such Observations did not regard it To give some Account of the temper of those times it may not be amiss to repeat the words of a Person of Honour who was then a Member of the House of Commons and hath lately published some Passages concerning that Parliament Never Parliament saith he was assembled when the People were in an higher discontent then at this time such a general Diffidence there was as they thought themselves sure of nothing the increase of Ceremonies made them fear the approach of a Religion hateful to them the laâ—â— business of Ship-money together with some Impâ—sitions without the consent of Parliament causeâ— them to apprehend the loss of Property in the Estates and they had little hope of Redress 〈◊〉 Parliaments because his then Majesty had beeâ— so unhappy as to be put upon a sudden Dissolutioâ— of all Parliaments formerly by him called Theâ— wanted not Persons ill disposed and seditious 〈◊〉 trumpet these things in the ears of the generalty whereby they incensed them so far as thereâ—â— they found means to raise a Power against theâ—â— Soveraign Mr. William Lenthal was Chosen Speaker of thâ— House of Commons and the King in a Speech tâ—â—â— them that the Scottish Troubles were the Cause oâ— their present Meeting and therefore requires theâ— to consider of the most expedient means for caâ—â—ing them out and then promises that he will heaâ—tily and clearly concurr with them for the satisfying their just Grievances After which he gaâ—â— them an Account of his want of Money for thâ— Maintaining of his Army and how dishonourablâ— it would be to the English Nation if his Armâ— should be disbanded before the Scots were put ouâ— of the Kingdom and desired them to consider oâ— the Oppression of the Northern Countreys during thâ—… Treaty It was ill resented by many that the King should call the Scots Rebels whereupon he took occasion to tell them that he must needs call them Rebels as long as they have an Army which did invade England The Commons then Voted down all Monopolies and all such Members as had any benefit by them were expelled out of the House Complainâ— was made in the House of Lords against Sir William Beecher one of the Clerks of the Council for violating their Priviledges in searching the Earl of Warwicks and the Lord Brooks Studies Cabinets and Pockets upon the dissolving the last Parliament upon which he was committed Prisoner to the Fleet though he pleaded the Command of the Secretary of State for his so doing The Earl of Strafford is Impeached of High Treason by the Commons in the House of Lords whereupon he is sequestred from the House and likewise his Friend Sir George Ratcliff is sent for out of Ireland by a Serjeant at Arms In the mean time the Bishop of Lincoln who was Prisoner in the Tower is released and likewise Mr. Pryn and Mr. Burton who are brought in great Triumph to London and
done His Character is Expressed by the King his Master in his Eikon Basilike who said He looked upon the Earl of Strafford as a Gentleman whose great Abilities might make a Prince rather afraid than ashamed to Imploy him in the greatest Affairs of State The fall of this powerful man so startled other great Officers of State that several resigned their places About the same time some discontents arose between the Parliament and the English Army in the North but a while after both Armies were disbanded The payment of Tonnage and Poundage had been much questioned since 1628 but now the King at the request of the Commons was content to relinquish his Claim to it and afterward pasied a Bill for Pole-money and two others for putting down the Star chamber and High Commission Courts which had proceeded with too much severity having so far out grown the power of the Law that they would not be limited nor guided by it July 5. A Charge was brought into the House of Commons against Dr. Wren Bishop of Ely being accused of some Treasonable Misdemeanors in his Diocess who thereupon Voted him unworthy and unfit to hold or exercise any Office or Dignity in Church or State and desired the Lords to join with them to request the King for his Removal from his service and so he was committed to the Tower and about the same time the Writs for Ship money and all the Proceedings therein were by the Kings consent adjudged void and 5. of the Judges that gave their Opinions for it were Impeached of high misdemeanors that is Bramston Trevor Weston Davenport and Crawly and Berkly another of the Judges was accused for Treason but no further prosecution was made therein August 6. Both the English and Scotch Armies were disbanded and four-days after the King went toward Scotland and was entertained with great demonstrations of Affection by that Nation and conferred several Places of Honour and Power upon divers of them confirming 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 managed with such secrecy that it was not discovered till the night before it was to have been put in Execution which was in divers places carried on with such fury that Two hundred thousand English Men Women and Children were in a short space barbarously murdered by all manner of most cruel torments that their Devlish minds could invent And this was chiefly occasioned by the Instigation of the Irish Popish Priests Monks and Fryers who every where declaimed loudly against the Protestants saying That they were Hereticks and not to be suffered any longer to live amongst them That it was no more sin to kill one of them then to kill a dog and that it was a mortal and unpardonable sin to relieve or protect any of them Yea the Priests gave the Sacrament to divers of the Irish upon Condition they should spare neither Man Woman nor Child of the Protestants saying That it did them a great deal of good to wash their hands in their blood and that they were worse than Dogs and if any of them died in the Quarrel before their bodies were cold their souls should be in Heaven without ever calling in at Purgatory by the way This bloody Rebellion happened in a time wherein the Irish had all the Priviledges and Liberty they could reasonably expect and the ancient hatred which the Irish had born to the English did now seem to be forgotten Forty Years of Peace having compacted and cemented them together both by Alliances and Marriages which were all now miserably broken and destroyed The Castle of Dublin wherein were Ten thousand Arms and all other Forts and Magazines in the Kingdom were to have been surprized and all the English Protestants that would not joyn with them were to be murdered but the seizing of the Castle was happily prevented by one Owen Conally from some discourse accidentally in a Tavern with one Hugh Mac Mahon Grandson to the Great Earl of Tyrone the night before the intended Execution Upon this Discovery Mac Mahon and Lord Mac-Guire were seized by the Lord Chief Justices of Ireland and many Principal Conspirators escaped that night out of Dublin so was Dublin saved that all Ireland might not be lost in one day But the horrid Design was past prevention as to the General for the Conspirators were in Arms at the day appointed in all the Counties round about and poor English Protestants daily arrived there robbed and spoiled of all they had giving lamentable Relations how their Houses were seized the Towns and Villages fired and in all parts all manner of cruel Outrages and Villanies committed The Lords Justices Sir William Parsons and Sir John Burlace taking those Arms which they found in Dublin and Arming whom they could to defend themselves sent Sir Henry Spotswood to the King then in Scotland with an Account of all that happened who dispatched Sir James 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 moved the Parliament of Scotland as being nearest for their assistance but they excused it because Ireland was a dependant upon the Crown of England but if the State of England would use any of their men for that service they would make Propositions in order to it At the same time likewise the King sent Post to the Parliament of England and a while after Owen O Conally the First Discoverer of the Plot came to London and brought Letters to the Earl of Leicester who was chosen Deputy but not yet gone over wherein the Lords Justices desired some Reward might be given him upon which the Parliament Voted him a Gift of 500 l. and an Annuity of 200 l. a year and at a Conference of both Houses they passed several Votes for the Relief of Ireland yet little was done till the Kings return from Scotland which was about the end of November 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 asist them That they did but maintain his Cause against the Puritans That they had the Kings Commission for what they did shewing indeed a Patent themselves had drawn but thereto was affixed an Old Broad Seal which had been taken from an Ancient Patent out of Farnham Abby by one Plunket in the presence of many of their Lords and Priests as was afterwards attested by the Confession of several That the Scots were in the Confederacy with them And to seem to confirm this last they abstained for some time from destroying the Estates or murdering any of that Nation And on the otherside to incourage the Irish they produced pretended Letters wherein they said they were informed from England That the Parliament had passed an Act all the Irish should be compelied to the Protestant worship
King as not willing to have them too strong yet promised to take such care for their security from Violence as he would for the preservation of Himself and Children and if this general Assurrnce would not suffice to remove those Apprehensions he would command such a Guard to wait upon them as he would be responsible for to Almighty God This Answer being unsatisfactory the City joyn with them and in their Common Council drew up a Petition complaining That the Trade of the City was decayed to the utter Ruin of the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects by the Designs of Papists Foreigners and Domesticks more particularly their fomenting the Irish Rebellion by changing the Constable of the Tower and making preparations there By the fortifying of White-hall and his Majesties late Invasion of thâ— House of Commons Whereupon they pray Thaâ— by the Parliaments Advice the Protestants in Ireland may be relieved the Tower to be put into hands of Persons of Trust a Guard appointed for the safety of thâ— Parliament and that the Five Members may not be restrained nor proceeded against but by the Priviledges of Parliament And besides this The King riding into London the Citizens in multitudes flockeâ— about his Coach beseeching him To agree with his Parliament and not to violate their Priviledges To their Petition the King returned Answer That he could not express a greater sense of Ireland that he had done That meerly to satisfie the City he had removed a worthy Person from the charge of the Tower and that the late Tumults had caused him to fortifie White-hall for the security of his own Person That his going to the House of Commons was to apprehend those five Members for Treason to which the Priviledges of Parliament could not extend and that yet he would proceed against them no otherwise than legally And now such numbers of ordinary People daily gathered about Westminster and White-hall that the King doubting of their Intentions thought fit to with-draw to Hampton Court taking with him the Queen Prince and Duke of York where he and his Retinue and Guard quickly increased by accession of divers of the Gentry But the next day the Five Members were triumphantly guarded to Westminster by a great number of Citizens and Seamen with hundreds of Boats and Barges with Guns in them shouting and hallowing as they passed by White-hall and making large Protestations at Westminster of their constant fidelity and adherence to the Parliament About this time the Parliament had notice the Lord Digby and Collonel Lunsford were raising Troops of Horse at Kingston where the County Magazine was lodged whereupon they order That the County Sheriffs Justices of Peace and the Trained Bands shall take care to secure the Countreys and their Magazine and suppress all unlawful Assemblies Lunsford was seized and sent to the Tower but Digby escaped beyond Sea The King removed to Royston at which time Sir Edward Harbert Attorney General is questioned at the Lords Bar to answer concerning the Articles against the Five Members where it had gone hard with him if the King at his earnest Supplication had not taken him off by a Letter to the Lord Keeper Littleton who succeeded L. Finch wherein the King clears the Attorney General and takes the whole business upon himself yet concludes That finding cause wholly to desist from proceeding against the Persons Accused he had commanded his Attorney General to proceed no further therein nor to produce nor discover any proof concerning the same And so this Breach between the King and Parliament seemed at present to be made up At this time the Scots having a considerable Interest in their Britttish Plantations in Ireland make Proposals for Transporting 2500 Souldiers thither which were accepted by both Houses and afterward consented to by the King after which the Scotch Commissioners interposed their Meditation for composing the differences between the King and Parliament which were now grown to too great an height for which Mr. Pym was ordered by the Commons to give them the thanks of the House January 20. The King sends a Message to the Parliament proposing the security of his own just Rights and Royal Authority and That since particular Grievances and Distractions were too many and would be too great to be presented by themselves that they would comprize and digest them into one entire body and send them to him and it should then appear how ready he would be to equal or exceed the greatest Examples of the most Iudulgent Princes in their Acts of Grace and Favour to the People After this the Commons move the Lords to joyn with them in Petitioning for the Militia and the Command of the Tower but they not complying the House of Commons singly of themselves Importune the King to put those things into the hands of the Parliament as the only available means for removal of their Fears and Jealousies But the King not willing to part with the Principal Jewels of his Crown signified to them That he thought the Militia to be lawfully subject to no command but his own and therefore would not let it out of his hands That he had preferred to the Lieutenancy of the Tower a Person of known Fortune and unquestionable Reputation and that he would prefer none but such to the command of his Forts and Castles yet would not intrust the power of conferring those Places and Dignities from himself being derived to him from his Ancestors by the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom Yet the Commons would not desist but again petitioned and were again refused Soon after divers Petitions were delivered to the Parliament against the Votes of Popish Lords and Bishops in the House of Peers as one from Suffolk with 1500 and another from the Londoners with 2000 hands and a Third from the City Dames All which were Answered That the Commons had already endeavoured Relief from the Lords in their Requests and should so continue till Redress were obtained And shortly after the Lords passed the Bill For disabling all Persons in Holy Orders to have any Place or Vote in Parliament or to exercise any Temporal Jurisdiction At the same time they petition the King again for the Militia and for clearing Kimbolton and the Five Members by his Answer to both which they understood his Resolution Not to intrust the Militia out of himself nor to clear the Members but only by a General Pardon which was unsatisfactory The King now at Hampton Court thought fit to send for all his Domestick Servants of either House of Parliament and particularly the Earls of Essex and Holland but they refused to come excusing themselves with The necessity of performing their duties in Parliament and discharging the Trust reposed in them For which they were put from their Places at Court The Lord Digby about this time sent Three Letters from Middleburg in Zealand where he was fled out of England one to the Queen and two others to Secretary