well-beloved Sir VVilliam Balfoure Knight and Iohn Dolbier Esquire or either of them for levying and providing certain numbers of Horses with Armes for Horse and Foot to be brought over into this Kingdome for our service viz. for the levying and transporting of one thousand Horse fifteen thousand pounds for five thousand Muskets five thousand Corslets and five thousand Pikes ten thousand five hundred pounds and for one thousand Curaseers compleat two hundred Corslets and Carbines four thousand five hundred pounds amounting in the whole to the said summe of thirty thousand pounds And this our letter shall be your sufficient warrant and discharge in this behalf Given under our Privy Seal at our Palace of Westminster the 30th of Ianuary in the third year of our Reign Iune the seventh the King came to the Lords House and the House of Commons were sent for And the Lord Keeper presented the humble Petition of both Houses and said MAy it please your most excellent Majesty the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament assembled taking into consideration that the good intelligence between your Majesty and your people doth much depend upon your Majesties answer unto their Petition of Right formerly presented With unanimous consent do now become most humble Suitors unto your Majesty that you would be pleased to give a clear and satisfactory answer thereunto in full Parliament Whereunto the King replyed The answer I have already given you was made with so good deliberation and approved by the judgements of so many wise men that I could not have imagined but it should have given you full satisfaction But to avoid all ambiguous interpretations and to shew you there is no doublenesse in my meaning I am willing to pleasure you as well in words as in substance read your Petition and you shall have an answer that I am sure will please you The Petition was read and this answer was returned Soit droit fait come il est desire C. R. This I am sure said his Majesty is full yet no more then I granted you in my first Answer for the meaning of that was to confirm your liberties knowing according to your own Protestations that ye neither meane nor can hurt my Prerogative And I assure you my Maxime is That the Peoples Liberties strengthen the Kings Prerogative and the Kings Prerogative is to defend the Peoples Liberties You see how ready I have shewed my self to satisfie your demands so that I have done my part Wherefore if this Parliament have not a happy conclusion the sin is yours I am free from it Whereupon the Commons returned to their own House with unspeakable joy and resolved so to proceed as to expresse their thankfulnesse and now frequent mention was made of proceeding with the Bill of subsidies of sending the Bills which were ready to the Lords of perfecting the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage and Sir Iohn Strangeâ—â—ies also expressed his joy at the answer and further added Let us perfect our Remonstrance King Iames was wont to say He knâ—w that by Parliaments which otherwise he could never have known After the granting of the Petition of Right the House ordered that the Grand Committees for Religion Trade Grievances and Courts of Justice to sit no longer but that the House proceed only in the consideration of Grievances of most moment And first they fell upon the Commission for Excise and sent to the Lord Keeper for the same who returned answer that he received Warrant at the Councel Table for the sealing thereof and when it was Sealed he carried it back to the Councel Table The Commission being sent it was read in the House viz. CHarles By the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To Sir Thomas Coventry Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England To James Earl of Malburg Lord High Treasurer or England Henry Earl of Manchester Lord President of our Councel Edward Earl of Worcester Lord Keeper of our Privy Seal George Duke of Buckingham Lord high Admiral of England William E. of Pembrook Lord Steward of Our Houshold Philip Earl of Mountgomery Lord Chamberlain of Our Houshold Theophilus Earl of Suffolk Edward Earl of Dorset William Earl of Salisbury Thomas Earl of Exeter John Earl of Bridgwater James Earl of Carlisle Henry Earl of Holland William Earl of Denbigh George Earl of Totnes Sir George Hay Kt. Lord Chancellor of Scotland William Earl of Morton Thomas Earl of Kelley Thomas Earl of Mellers Edward Uiscount Conway one of our principal Secretaries of State Edward Uiscount Wimbleton Oliver Uiscount Grandison Henry Falkland Lord Deputy of Ireland To the Lord Bp. of Winchester Wil. Lord Bp. of Bath and Wells Fulk Lo. Brook Dudley Ash Lord Carlton Uice Chamberlain of Our Houshold Sir Thomas Edmonds Treasurer of our Houshold Sir John Savil Controler of Our Houshold Sir Robert Nanton Master of the Court of Wards Sir John Cook one of the principal Secretaries of State Sir Richard Weston Chancellour and under Treasurer of our Exchequer Julius Caesar Master of the Rolls and Sir Humphrey May Kt. Chancellour of Our Dutchy of Lancaster Greeting Whereas the presâ—nt Conjuncture of the general affairs of Christendom and our own particular interest in giving assistance unto our oppressed Allies and for providing for the defence and safety of our own Dominions and People do call upon Us to neglect nothing that may conduce to those good ends And because Monies the principal sinâ—ws of War and one of the first and chiefest movers in all great Preparations and Actions are necessary to be provided in the first place and We are carefull the same may be raised by such ways as may best stand with the State of Our Kingdoms and Subjects and yet may answer the pressing occasions of the present times We therefore out of the experience We have had and for the trust we repose in your wisdoms fidelities and dutifull care of your service And for the experience we have of all great Causes concerning us and our State both as they have relation to Foraine parts abroad and as to our Common-wealth and People at home Ye being persons called by us to be of Our Privy Councel have thought sit amongst those great and important matters which so much concern us in the first and chiefest place to recommend this to your special care and diligence And we do hereby authorise and appoint and strictly will and require you that speedily and seriously you enter into consideration of all the best and speediest ways and means ye can for raising of Monies for the most Important occasions aforesaid UUhich without extreamest hazard to Us our Dominions and People and to our Friends and Allies can admit of no long delay the same to be done by Impositions or othâ—rwise as in your wisdoms and best Iudgments ye shall find to be most convenient in a case of this inevitable necessity wherein Form â—nd
by the King and Prince was as followeth WE Ratifying and confirming the aforesaid Treaty and all and every Capitulation contained and specified in the same do approve applaud confirm and ratifie of our certain knowledge all and every of these things in as much as they concern our Selves our Heirs or our Successors And we promise by these presents in the word of a King to kéep fulfil and observe the same and to cause them to be kept fulfilled and observed inviolably firmly well and faithfully effectually Bona fide without all exception and contradiction And we confirm the same with an Oath upon the Holy Evangelists in the presence of the Illustrious and Noble John de Mendoza Charls de Colona Ambassadors of the most Gratious Catholick â—ing residing in our Court. In Testimony and Witness of all and every the premises we have caused our Great Seal to be put to those Articles subscribed by our Hands there in the presence of the most Reverend Father in Christ George Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and the Reverend Father in Christ John Bishop of Lincoln Lord Kéeper of the Great Seal of England Lionel Cranfield Cheif Treasurer of England Henry Uiscount Mandevil President of our Council Edward Earl of Worcester Kéeper of the Privy Seal Lewis Duke of Richmond and Lenox Lord Steward of our Houshold James Marquess Hamilton James Earl of Carlisle Thomas Earl of Kelly Oliver Uiscount Grandeson c. and George Calvert Knight one of our Cheif Secretaries of State and all of our Privy Council Given at our Palace of Westminster c. JACOBUS Rex After this the King did swear to certain private Articles in favor of Papists and for the advancement of the Roman Religion JAMES by the grace of God of Great Britain King Defender of the Faith c. To all to whom this present-writing shall come gréeting Inasmuch as among many other things which are contained within the Treaty of Marriage betwéen our most dear Son Charls Prince of Wales and the most renowned Lady Donna Maria Sister of the most renowned Prince and our welbeloved Brother Philip the Fourth King of Spain It is agréed That we by our Oath shall approve the Articles under-expressed to a word 1. That particular Laws made against Roman Catholicks under which other Vassals of our Realms are not comprehended and to whose observation all generally are not obliged as likewise general Laws under which all are equally comprised if so be they are such which are repugnant to the Romish religion shall not at any time hereafter by any means or chance whatsoever directly or indirectly be commanded to be put in execution against the said Roman Catholicks and we wil cause that our Council shall take the same Oath as far as it pertains to them and belongs to the execution which by the hands of them their Ministers is to be exercised 2. That no other Laws shall hereafter be made anew against the said Roman Catholicks but that there shall be a perpetual Toleration of the Roman Catholick Religion within private houses throughout all our Realms and Dominions which we will have to be understood as well of our Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland as in England which shall be granted to them in manner and form as is capitulated decreed granted in the Article of the Treaty concerning the Marriage 3. That neither by us nor by any other interposed person whatsoever directly or indirectly privately or publikely will we treat or attempt any thing with the most renowned Lady Infanta Donna Maria which shall be repugnant to the Romish Catholick religion Neither will we by any means perswade her that she should ever renounce or relinquish the same in substance or form or that she should do any thing repugnant or contrary to those things which are contained in the Treaty of Matrimony 4. That We and the Prince of Wales will interpose our authority and will do as much as in us shall lie that the Parliament shall approve confirm and ratifie all and singular Articles in favor of the Roman Catholicks capitulated between the most renowned Kings by reason of this Marriage And that the said Parliament shall revoke and abrogate particular Laws made against the said Roman Catholicks to whose observance also the rest of our Subjects and Vassals are not obliged as likewise the general Laws under which all are equally comprehended to wit as to the Roman Catholicks if they be such as is aforesaid which are repugnant to the Roman Catholick Religion And that hereafter we will not consent that the said Parliament should ever at any time enact or write any other new Laws against Roman Catholicks MOreover I Charls Prince of Wales engage my self and promise that the most Illustrious King of Great Britain my most honored Lord and Father shall do the same both by word and writing That all those things which are contained in the foregoing Articles and concern as well the suspension as the abrogation of all Laws made against the Roman Catholicks shall within thrée years infallibly take effect and sooner if it be possible which we will have to lie upon our Conscience and Royal honor That I will intercede with the most illustrious King of G. Britain my father that the ten years of the education of the children which shall be born of this marriage with the most illustrious Lady Infanta their mother accorded in the 23 Art which term the Pope of Rome desires to have prorogued to twelve years may be lengthened to the said term And I promise fréely and of my own accord and swear That if it so happen that the entire power of disposing of this matter be dâ—volved to me I will also grant and approve the said term Furthermore I Prince of Wales oblige my self upon my faith to the Catholick King That as often as the most illustrious Lady Infanta shall require that I should give ear to Divines or others whom her Highness shall be pleased to employ in matter of the Roman Catholick religion I will hearken to them willingly without all difficulty and laying aside all excuse And for further caution in point of the frée exercise of the Catholick religion and the suspension of the Law above-named I Charls Prince of Wales promise and take upon me in the word of a King that the things above promised and treated concerning those matters shall take effect and be put in execution as well in the Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland as of England The Privy-Councellors Oath was this I A.B. do swear That I will truly and fully observe as much as belongeth to me all and every of the Articles which are contained in the Treaty of Marriage betwéen the most gracious Charls Prince of Wales and the most gracious Lady Donna Maria Infanta of Spain Likewise I swear that I will neither commit to execution nor cause to be executed either by my self or by any inferior Officer serving me any
attended by all the Servants in Ordinary The day following the Privy-Counsellors to the late King with all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal then about London were in the Council Chamber at Whitehall by Eight of the Clock in the morning ready to go together and present themselves to his Majesty but there came in the mean a Commandment from the King by the Lord Conway and Sir Albertus Morton Principal Secretaries of State to the deceased King that the Lord Keeper of the Great-Seal should be sworn of his Majesties Privy-Council and that he should give the Oath to the Lord President by whom all the rest of the late Kings Council should be sworn Counsellors to his present Majesty The Lord Keeper of the great Seal the Lord President the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Lord Treasurer of England the Lord Privy-Seal the Duke of Buckingham Lord Admiral of England the Earl of Pembrook Lord Chamberlain the Earl of Montgomery the Earl of Kellye the Earl of Arundel Earl Marshal of England the Lord Viscount Grandison the Lord Conwey the Lord Brook Mr Treasurer Mr Comptroller the Master of the Wards Mr Secretary Morton Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Master of the Rolls were this day sworn accordingly the Lord Keeper did take an Oath apart as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal the Lord Treasurer as Lord Treasurer of England the Lord President as Lord President of the Kings Privy-Council and the Lord Conwey and Sir Albertus Norton as principal Secretaries of State the Lords which were not of his Majesties Privy-Council repaired by themselves to St Iames's and presented themselves to the King and kissed his hand The Council sat immediately and advised of the most important and pressing matters to be offered to the King for his present service and resolved upon these particulars That a Commission be granted to authorize the Great-Seal Privy-Seal and Signet till new ones be prepared also Commissions for authorizng of Judges Justices of Peace Sheriffs and other such Officers for Government that there be a general Proclamation for continuation of Proceedings preservation of Peace and administration of Justice that Letters be prepared for the Ambassadors with foreign Princes to authorize their services to the King that special Messengers be sent unto foreign Princes that the like Proclamations to those of England be sent into Scotland that Commissions be renewed into Ireland to the Deputy and Officers there that the Mint for Coyning of money go on and all things be mannaged by the Officers as then they stood till the Kings pleasure be further known that a Parliament be summoned when the King shall appoint that the Kings pleasure be known concerning the time of his Fathers Funeral and where the Corps shall rest in the mean time as also the time of his Majesties Coronation This being done the whole Council attended the King at St Iames's where the Lord Keeper in the name of all the rest presented their humble thanks that it had pleased his Majesty to have affiance in those that had been Counsellors to his Father to receive them all to be of his Privy-Council the Lord President represented to the King the matters before mentioned which the King allowed and gave order that those of them which required speed should be put in execution and most of the powers he signed presently And first because by the death of the late King the Authorities and powers of the greatest number of Offices and places of Government did cease and fail by the failing of the Soveraign Person from whom the same were derived a Proclamation issued forth signifying his Majesties pleasure that all persons whatsoever who at the decease of the late King were invested in any Office or Place of Government Civil or Martial within the Realms of England and Ireland and namely Presidents Lieutenants Vice-Presidents Judges Justices Sheriffs Deputy Lieutenants Commissaries of Musters Justices of Peace shall continue in their several Offices till his Majesties pleasure were further known In another Proclamation of the same date the King took notice of his Fathers death and that he being his onely Son and undoubted Heir is invested and established in the Crown Imperial of this Realm and all other his Majesties Realms Dominions and Countries with all the Royalties Preeminencies Stiles Names Titles and Dignities to the same belonging and he declared That as he for his part shall by Gods grace shew himself a most benign and gracious Soveraign Lord to all his good Subjects in all their lawfull Suits and Causes so he mistrusteth not but that they on their parts will shew themselves unto him their natural Liege Lord most loving faithfull and obedient Subjects The Council resolved to move the King that his Fathers Funeral might be solemnized within five weeks and within a few dayes after the Ceremonial Nuptials in France and before the Parliament began in England These Resolves the Lord President represented unto the King who accepted of the advices and said he would follow them Moreover he summoned a Parliament to begin the seventeeth of May but by the advice of his Privy-Council Prorogued it to the one and thirtieth of May afterwards to the thirteenth of Iune and then to the eighteenth of the same moneth which Prorogations were occasioned by the Kings going to Dover to receive the Queen April 23. The Body and Herse of King Iames was brought from Theobalds to London being conducted by the Officers of the Guard of the Body all in Mourning every one having a Torch and attended by all the Lords of the Court and great numbers of other persons of quality and was placed in Denmark-House in the Hall of the deceased Queen Anne The seventh of May was the day of Burial the Body and Herse were taken from the said Hall of State and brought in great Pompe and Solemnity to Westminster where the Kings of England use to be interred The new King to shew his Piety towards his deceased Father was content to dispense with Majesty he followed in the Rear having at his right hand the Earl of Arundel at his left the Earl of Pembrook both Knights of the Garter his Train was born up by twelve Peers of the Realm So King Iames who lived in Peace and assumed the title of Peace-maker was peaceably laid in his Grave in the Abby at Westminster King Charles in his Fathers life time was linked to the Duke of Buckingham and now continued to receive him into an admired intimacy and dearness making him Partaker of all his Counsels and Cares and Chief Conductor of his Affairs an Example rare in this Nation to be the Favorite of two succeding Princes The Publick State of Religion and the steering of Church-matters had an early inspection and consultation in the Cabinet Council Bishop Laud who in King Iame's life time had delivered to the Duke a little book about Doctrinal Puritanism now also delivered to the Duke a
upon the Priviledges of the Peers of this Land and upon mine and their safety hereafter For if the Writ be not obeyed the Law calleth it a Misprission and highly fineable whereof we have had late examples and a missive Letter being avowed or not is to be doubted would not be adjudged a sufficient discharge against the Great-Seal of England On the other side if the Letter be not obeyed a Peer may De facto be committed upon a Contempt in the interim and the Question cleared afterwards so that in this case it is above mine abilities I can onely answer your Lordship that I will most exactly obey and to the end I may understand which obedience will be in all kindes most suitable to my duty I will presently repair to my private Lodging at London and there remain until in this and other Causes I shall have petitioned his Majesty and understand his further pleasure For the second part of your Lordships Letter where your Lordship saith That his Majesties meaning is not thereby to discharge any former directions for restraint of your Lordships coming hither but that you continue under the same restriction as before so that your Lordships personal attendance here is to be forborne I conceive your Lordship intendeth this touching my coming to Parliament onely for as touching my comning to London I never had at any time one word of prohibition or colourable pretence of restraint but on the contrary having his late Majesties express leave to come to London to follow my affairs out of my respect to his Majesty then Prince and to the Duke of Buckingham I forbore to come until I might know whether my coming would not be disagreeable unto them whereunto his Majesty was pleased to answer both under the hand of the Duke and of Mr Secretary Conway That he took my respect unto him herein in very good part and would wish me to make use of the leave the King had given me since which time I never received any Letter or Message of restraint onely his Majesty by his Letter bearing date June the last commandeth me to remain as I was in the time of the King his Father which was with liberty to come to London to follow mine own affairs as I pleased as will appear unto your Lordship if you will afford me so much favor as to peruse them I have writ this much unto your Lordship because I would not through misunderstanding fall into displeasure by my coming up and to intreat your Lordship to inform his Majesty thereof And that my Lord Conway by whose Warrant I was onely restrained in the late Kings time of famous memory may produce any one word that may have so much as any colourable pretence of debarring my coming up to London I beseech your Lordship to pardon my desire to have things clearly understood for the want of that formerly hath caused all my troubles and when any thing is misinformed concerning me I have little or no means to clear it so that my chief labor is to avoid misunderstanding I shall conclude with beseeching your Lordship to do me this favor to let his Majesty understand that my coming up is onely rightly to understand his pleasure whereunto I shall in all things most dutifully and humbly conform my self And so with my humble service to your Lordship I recommend you to Gods holy protection and remain Your Lordships most humble Servant BRISTOL Sherborn April 12. 1626. Hereupon the Lord Keeper delivered this Message from the King to the House of Lords THat his Majesty hath heard of a Petition preferred unto this House by the Earl of Bristol so void of duty and respects to his Majesty that he hath great cause to punish him That he hath also heard with what duty and respectfulness to his Majesty their Lordships have proceeded therein which his Majesty conceiveth to have been upon the knowledge they have that he hath been restrained for matters of State and his Majesty doth therefore give their Lordships thanks for the same and is resolved to put the Cause upon the honor and justice of their Lordships and this House And therefore his Majesty commanded him the Lord Keeper to signifie to their Lordships his Royal pleasure That the Earl of Bristol be sent for as a Delinquent to answer in this House his Offences committed in his Negotiations before his Majesties being in Spain and his Offences since his Majesties coming from Spain and his scandalizing the Duke of Buckingham immediately and his Majesty by reflection with whose privity and by whose directions the Duke did guide his Actions and without which he did nothing All which his Majesty will cause to be charged against him before their Lordships in this House The Lords appointed a Committee to attend the King and to present their humble thanks to his Majesty for the trust and confidence he had placed in the honor and justice of their House About this time the Marshal of Middlesex petitioned to the Committee of the House of Commons touching his resistance in seising of Priests goods A Warrant was made by Mr Attorney General to Iohn Tendring Marshal of Middlesex and other therein named to search the Prison of the Clink and to seise all Popish and Superstitious matters there found A Letter also was directed to Sir George Paul a Justice of Peace in Surrey to pray him to take some care and pains to expedite that service On Good Friday April 7. Sir George Paul was ready by six a clock in the morning five or six Constables being charged and about an hundred persons to aid and assist them The Marshall being attended with the persons named in the Warrant and divers others of his own servants and the Aid being provided by Sir George Paul came to the Clink and finding a door open without any Porter or Door-keeper at all entred without resistance at the first appearing But immediately upon discovery of his purpose the Concourse of people without and his unexpected entrance giving occasion thereto the Porter steps up shuts the door and keeps the Marshal and some few that entred together with him within and his Aid without resisting them that would enter their Warrant being shewed notwithstanding until by force another door was broken open by which the other persons named in the Warrant the Marshals men with the Constables and others appointed for their assistance with Halberts did enter also leaving sufficient company without to guard the three several doors belonging to the House Being within the Marshall gave direction to his followers to disperse themselves into several parts of the House to the end that whilest he did search in one part the other parts and places might be safely guarded and so he proceeded in his search in the prosecution whereof he found four several Priests in the house viz. Preston Cannon Warrington Prator Preston was committed to the Clink about 16 years since and discharged of his imprisonment about
which though it do invite him to render unto you such a satisfaction that he hopes may acquit and restore him to your good opinion and might prevent your proceedings which otherwise by a Parliamentary course are like to follow Yet according to his duty having moved the Lords of the Upper House upon your notice given him they would by no means as things now stand give him leave to answer in regard he is not ignorant you are presently to enter into consideration of his Majesties Message and that by a delay therein your own purposes will be in some sort disappointed and the affairs of Christendome much prejudiced but for that upon a resolution you have deferred and respited that service until those things depending against him be first determined he out of fear that his necessary defence would spin out a great deal of time which is more precious is the willinger to obey their Lordships that so he might hasten without obstacle or interruption given unto him to keep day with his Majesty And this he doth as he conceives to his own infinite prejudice knowing how grievous it is to be transmitted as a Grievance by the voice of this House But he doth profess he will rather hazard the safety of his Fortunes Reputation and himself then to be the least occasion of any that may work dis-affection or mis-understanding between the King and his People And it is his Protestation that whatsoever interruption is made by his actions his endeavors shall be as long as he hath any favor with his gracious Master to take opportunity of doing good offices to this House and of rendring all that he can be able for the safety of the State and the general good of the Common-wealth And this he saith you may the easier beleeve because his Majesty can witness that he hazarded in his Fathers time the loss of the best affection of the best of Masters to obtain for them their desire In this zeal he was desirous to have appeared unto you ever since the beginning of this Parliament and in this zeal he doth now present himself unto you But to return to the main point he lest we should be mistaken gave us occasion in plain words to remember you that it is not he that doth refuse to answer but the Lords commanded him not to answer which he the cheerfullier obeyed in respect of his fidelity to prefer the Universal Weal before his own particular And in the mean time he desireth the charitable opinion of this Noble House until he be convinced that he shall appear not worthy of it which his own innocency maketh him confident that he shall not Whilst the Duke stood ready to be impeacht his Grace propounded to the Lords of the Council to have it moved to the King that in regard of the important services by Sea the usual pay to the Sailers might be raised from Fourteen to Twenty shillings a Moneth which was as much as they ordinarily received for Merchants wages The King being therein moved was consenting Nevertheless multitudes of the pressed Mariners ran away leaving his Majesties Ships unfurnished and his Service disappointed There was a great Debate in the House of Commons Whether the Committee of Twelve where Mr. Glanvile had the Chair shall consider of any new matter not heretofore propounded in the House against the Duke And it was resolved in the Affirmative Mr. Glanvile reports from the Committee the Examination concerning a Plaister and a Posset applied and given to King Iames in his sickness when the Kings sworne Physicians had agreed upon other Directions Hereupon it was resolved That this should be annexed to the Charge against the Duke as a transcendent Presumption of dangerous consequence Hereupon his Majesty sent this Message to the Commons THat he having given way to Enquiry about the Duke of Buckingham and hearing that there is new matter intended to be brought against him nevertheless leaveth the House to their own way to present the business to him or to the Lords withal adviseth them to consider of the season of the year and to avoid all loss of time It was Ordered That thanks should be returned to his Majesty for this Message On Monday the First of May the Gentleman-Usher brought the Earl of Bristol to the Bar according to their Lordships Order and the Lord Keeper acquainted him That the King had commanded his Attorney General to charge the Earl of Bristol before their Lordships with High Treason and other Offences and Misdemeanors of a very high nature that they might proceed in a Legal course against him according to the Justice and usual proceedings of Parliament I. Offences done and committed by the Earl of Bristol before His Majesties going into Spain when he was Prince I. THat the said Earl being trusted and employed by the said late King as his Ambassador to Ferdinando then and now Emperor of Germany and to Philip the Fourth then and now King of Spain in Annis 1621.22 and 23. And having Commission and particular and special Direction to Treat with the said Emperor and the King of Spain for the plenary restoring of such parts of the Dominions Territories and Possessions of the Count Palatine of Rhine who married with the most Excellent Lady Elizabeth his now Royal Consort the onely Daughter of the said late King Iames which were then wrongfully and in hostile manner taken and possessed with and by the Armies of the said Emperor and King of Spain or any other and for preserving and keeping such other parts thereof as were not then lost but were then in the protection of the said late King Iames and to the use of the said Count Palatine and his Children And also to Treat with the said King of Spain for a Marriage to be had between the most High and Excellent Prince Charls then Prince of Wales the onely Son and Heir Apparant of the said King Iames and now our most Soveraign Lord and the most Illustrious Lady Donna Maria the Infanta of Spain Sister to the now King of Spain He the said Earl contrary to his duty and Alleagiance and contrary to the trust and duty of an Ambassador at Madrid in the Kingdom of Spain to advance and further the designs of the said King of Spain against our said Soveraign Lord his Children Friends and Allies falsly willingly and traiterously and as a Traitor to our said late Soveraign Lord the King by sundry Letters and other Messages sent by the said Earl from Madrid in the years aforesaid unto King Iames and his Ministers of State of England did confidently and resolutely inform advise and assure the said late King That the said Emperor and King of Spain would really fully and effectually make restitution and plenary restauration to the said Count Palatine and his Children of the said Dominions Territories and Possessions of the said Count Palatine and of the said Electoral Dignity And that the said King of
his the said Ambassadors last return into Spain in the Summer An. 1622. To carry his Majesty then Prince into Spain to the end he might be informed and instructed in the Roman Religion and thereby have perverted the Prince and subverted the true Religion established in England From which misery this Kingdom next under Gods mercy hath by the wise religious and constant carriage of his Majesty been almost miraculously delivered considering the many bold and subtile attempts of the said Duke in that kind II. That Mr. Porter was made acquainted therewith and sent into Spain and such Messages at his return framed as might serve for a ground to set on foot this Conspiracie The which was done accordingly and thereby the King and Prince highly abused and their Consents thereby first gotten to the said Journey that is to say after the return of the said Mr. Porter which was about the end of December or the beginning of Ianuary 1622. whereas the said Duke had plotted it many moneths before III. That the said Duke at his arrival in Spain nourished the Spanish Ministers not only in the belief of his own being Popishly affected but did both by absenting himself from all Exercises of Religion constantly used in the Earl of Bristols house and frequented by all other Protestant English and by conforming himself to please the Spaniards in divers Rites of their Religion even so far as to kneel and adore their Sacrament from time to time give the Spaniards hope of the Prince his Conversion The which Conversion he endeavored to procure by all means possible and thereby caused the Spanish Ministers to propound far worse Conditions for Religion then had been formerly by the Earl of Bristol and Sir Walter Aston setled and signed under their Majesties hands with a Clause in the King of Spain's Answer of Decemb. 12. 1622. That they held the Articles agreed upon sufficient and such as ought to induce the Pope to the granting of the Dispensation IV. That the Duke of Buckingham having several times in the presence of the Earl of Bristol moved and pressed his late Majesty at the instance of the Conde of Gondomar to write a Letter unto the Pope and to that purpose having once brought a Letter ready drawn wherewith the Earl of Bristol by his Majesty being made acquainted did so strongly oppose the writing of any such Letter that during the abode of the said Earl of Bristol in England the said Duke could not obtain it yet not long after the Earl was gone he procured such a Letter to be written from his late Majesty unto the Pope and to have him stiled Sanctissime Pater V. That the Pope being informed of the Duke of Buckingham's inclination and intention in point of Religion sent unto the said Duke a particular Bull in parchment for to perswade and encourage him in the perversion of his Majesty then Prince VI. That the said Dukes behaviour in Spain was such that he thereby so incensed the King of Spain and his Ministers as they would admit of no reconciliation nor further dealing with him Whereupon the said Duke seeing that the Match would be now to his disadvantage he endeavored to break it not for any service to the Kingdom nor dislike of the Match in it self nor for that he found as since he hath pretended that the Spaniards did not really intend the said Match but out of his particular ends and his indignation VII That after he intended to cross the Marriage he put in practice divers undue courses as namely making use of the Letters of his Majesty then Prince to his own ends and not to what they were intended as likewise concealing divers things of high importance from his late Majesty and thereby overthrew his Majesties purposes and advanced his own ends VIII That the said Duke as he had with his skill and artifices formerly abused their Majesties so to the same end he afterwards abused both Houses of Parliament by his sinister Relation of the carriage of Affairs as shall be made appear almost in every particular that he spake unto the said Houses IX As for scandal given by his personal behaviour as also the imploying of his power with the King of Spain for the procuring of Favors and Offices which he bestowed upon base and unworthy persons for the recompence and hire of his Lust These things as neither fit for the Earl of Bristol to speak nor indeed for the House to hear he leaveth to your Lordships wisdom how far you will be pleased to have them examined It having been indeed a great infamy and dishonor to this Nation that a Person of the Dukes great quality and imployments a Privy-Counsellor an Ambassador eminent in his Masters favor and solely trusted with the Person of the Prince should leave behind him in a Forein Court so much scandal as he did by his ill behaviour X. That the Duke hath been in great part the Cause of the ruine and misfortune of the Prince Palatine and his Estates in as much as those Affairs had relation unto this Kingdom XI That the Duke of Buckingham hath in his Relations to both Houses of Parliament wronged the Earl of Bristol in point of his Honor by many sinister aspersions which he hath laid upon him and in point of his Liberty by many undue Courses through his power and practices XII That the Earl of Bristol did reveal unto his late Majesty both by word and letter in what sort the said Duke had disserved him and abused his trust And that the King by several ways sent him word That he should rest assured he would hear the said Earl but that he should leave it to him to take his own time And thereupon few days before his sickness he sent the Earl word that he would hear him against the said Duke as well as he had heard the said Duke against him Which the Duke himself heard And not long after his blessed Majesty sickned and died having been in the interim much vexed and pressed by the said Duke Articles of the Earl of Bristol against the Lord Conway bearing Date 1 Maii 1626. I. THat the Lord Conway is so great a Servant of the Duke of Buckingham's that he hath not stuck to send the Earl of Bristol plain word That if businesses could not be accommodated betwixt him and the Duke he must then adhere and declare himself for the said Duke and therefore unfit to be a Judge in any thing that concerneth the Duke or the Earl II. That the said Lord Conway professeth himself to be a Secretary of the Duke of Buckingham's creation and so acknowledgeth it under his own hand And although that he be the Kings Secretary of State and a Privy-Counsellor he usually beginneth his Letters to the Duke Most gracious Patron III. That as a Creature of the said Dukes the said Lord Conway hath been made the Instrument of keeping the Earl of Bristol from the Kings presence and
get them to a Rendevouz and when they were come to a Rendevouz and he ready to set sail with the whole Fleet the winds proved contrary But some of the chief Commanders when they came into England spake somwhat loudly of other miscarriages at Rhee pleading much on the behalf of the Council of War And now when the unfortunate Action of Rhee was known and published throughout the Nation the cry of the People was so great and the Kings necessities so pressing that it was in every mans mouth A Parliament must needs be summoned For we have now provoked two potent neigbor Kings and near Enemies our Coasts and Ports were unguarded our able Commanders worne away or not imployed The Mariners come in multitudes to the Court at Whitehall in great disorder and confusion crying out for Pay and much ado there was to appease them The Enemies come into our Harbors survey our Rivers and the Fishermen can scarce look out A vast number of our Ships have been lost and taken in the three years past and the Merchants cease to build more because they were prest for the Kings service at a low rate and not paid and the Mariners flee from their own imployment fearing to be prest again And our Enemies grow upon us especially in the Eastern Countries We give you here a brief Account of such Arrearages as were behind and unpaid for Freight of Ships Seamens Wages and Materials for Shipping in the Years 1625 1626 1627. FOr freight of Merchants and Newcastle-Ships imployed in his Majesties service and for several Bills of provisions yet unpaid in the years 1625 1626 according to the former Estimates Privy-seals passed for the same l. 60000 s. 00 d. 00 For the freight of sundry Merchants and Newcastle-ships imployed in his Majesties service to the Isle of Rhee and other places in the year 1627 19560 12 04 For Seamens wages in the same year 1627 ending the last of this moneth 61957 19 08 The repairing of the Hulls Masts of the said Ships to make them fit only for imployment in the Narrow-Seas together with repair and for setting forth of the Nostredame and Sea-waller two Prise-ships 05761 10 04 For repairing the said Ships mentioned in the margin for their Hulls Masts c. at 1000 marks apeece 08000 00 00 For supply of 700 Tuns of Cordage taken out of his Majesties Stores for furnishing to Sea of several Fleets at 26 l. 13 s. 4 d. per Tun being demanded upon several Estimates to be made good at the end of each service and yet unpaid 18666 13 04 Besides these Arrears there were Demands made by the Navy for supplying the Stores with Mast Timber Plank Deal Sales Ropes Tar Tallow Iron Anchors c. the Sum of 26000 00 00 The Rochellers after the Dukes arrival in England sent their Deputies to his Majesty for succor and relief in their distressed condition and presented their Desires in nature of a Remonstrance to the King and the Lords of the Council wherein they gave his Majesty most humble thanks for the great assistance and comfort they had received by the Fleet sent in Iuly last whereof the Duke of Buckingham was Admiral which would have been of greater assistance unto them had the season of the year permitted their stay longer there or that the supply of Victuals and Ammunition had come unto them which his Majesty had assigned That they are given to understand that there is application made to the King of Denmark to propound the making of a Peace between the two Crowns of England and France a thing to be wished if really intended But the Proceedings of France with the Reformed Churches there hath hitherto been such as when they spake most fair and nothing but Peace uttered nothing less was intended and great advantages thereby have been taken against the Reformed Churches But in case the Treaty do proceed they humbly prayed that then his Majesty will be pleased to insist upon the Capitulation which was made upon his mediation and for which he passed his word that the Reformed Churches should perform on their part which they kept inviolable till there were Forces placed and kept in Forts against them contrary to Capitulation and more Forces drawn down in order to the reduction of the Remonstrants and a Fleet unexpectedly come upon them to destroy their Navigation when nothing on their part was offered in violation of the Treaty They did further remonstrate That now the Forces of France are breaking down apace about them totally to block them up by Land and do intend to make a Barracado cross the Channel leaving a narrow passage for the flux and reflux of the Sea and by that means to stop all manner of Provisions by Sea which evidently remonstrates their further ruine if they with all expedition have not succor and help from his Majesty of Great Britain For their necessities and straits are very great already by reason their Magazines are consumed their monies spent and the Inhabitants reduced to small allowances And therefore do beseech his Majesty with all possible diligence to send them supply of all sorts of Provisions fit for a Siege and to succor them once more with the Navy-Royal to interrupt the blocking up of the River otherwise they are inevitably lost And lastly they did humbly beseech his Majesty and the Lords of his Council to have also so far pity of their indigencie and need as to permit a General Collection to be made in England and Scotland of such persons whom God shall move to contribute to their succor and relief And declare that they are resolved still to hold out hoping yet a Relief would come that might be of advantage unto them and they were assured thereof by the Duke of Buckingham at his departure that he would once more come in person to their assistance In this state of Affairs it is said Sir Robert Gotton being thereunto called presented his Advice to certain Lords of the Council in manner following AS soon as the House of Austria had incorporated it self with Spain and by their new Discoveries gotten to themselves the Wealth of the Indies They began to affect and have ever since pursued a Fifth Monarchy The Emperor Charls would lay the first Foundation of Italy by surprising Rome From this he was thrust by force and respect of Religion Hen. 8. being made Caput Foediris against him He then attempted High-Germany practising by faction and force to reduce them first to Petty States and so to his absolute power In this Hen. 8. again prevented him by laying the Lutheran Princes under this Confederacie and assistance His Son the Second Philip pursued the same Ambition in the Netherlands of Germany by reduction whereof he intended to make his way further into the others This the late Queen of England interrupted by siding with the afflicted people on the one part and making herself the Head of the
Historical Collections OF Private Passages of STATE OF Weighty Matters in LAW OF Remarkable Proceedings in Five Parliaments BEGINNING The Sixteenth Year of KING JAMES ANNO 1618. And ending the Fifth Year of KING CHARLS ANNO 1629. Digested in Order of TIME And now Published By JOHN RUSHWORTH of Lincolns-Inn Esq Prima est Historiae lex nè quid falsi dicere audeat deinde nè quid veri non audeat nè qua suspicio gratiae sit in scribendo nè qua simultatis M.T. Cicer. de Orat. London Printed by Tho. Newcomb for George Thomason at the Sign of the Rose and Crown in St Pauls Churchyard 1659. A. This Paw points out the Caledonian Iarres Sad Harbingers to our intestine Warres B. The Lion passant gardant wonders much The Paw should daâ— presume his Chiefe to touch C. Strange yâ— from Stooles at Scotish Prelates 〈◊〉 Bellona's dire Alarm's should rouze the World D. The Lion the Paw bent to engage Make Peace at Tweed so change the Scene Stage E The double-headed Eagle wide doth Spread Her Wings to fan the Coales yâ— seem'd as dead F. And makes yâ— Lionesseâ—n â—n Instrument To breake that Peace and a fourth Parl'ament G. The Paw invades yâ— Lion at Tine Flood They fight make Truce stop from shedding Blood H. The British Notes sound flat to those more sharp Divisions Eccho'd from the Irish Harp I. The Parl'ament conven'd the Lion try'd By Charging Five The Members to divide K. First Iustice next no Bishop Priviledge last Cry Multitudes who to the Houses haste L. The Lions third Roare prooving fatall drew Such Woes as rarely former Ages knew M T was a Curst Cow kickt down the Milk shee gaue Let us old Englands Lawes and Freedome hauâ— N. Caelestiall Manna thy Spirituall Food O.P. Fed Them with Peace Plenty all that's Good Q. A blazing Comet thy Backsliding showes R Predicteth Ruine presenteth woes S. The Faithfull build them Churches but are stopt By Papists who at th e Aurea Bulla mockt T. Great Caesar to yâ— Romans Crown doth 〈◊〉 His Stately Nephew and creates him King V Prague gives the Crown in Frederick 〈◊〉 His Sword to assert the Germans their 〈◊〉 W. Then from high Windowes vnnawares were 〈◊〉 The Emperors Councell ere the Charge was 〈◊〉 X.Y. The Blow neer Prague was struck The People 〈◊〉 Like Iehu out Warre â— sweet before 't is 〈◊〉 Z What Decollations then What Blood What 〈◊〉 Outacted Tragick Scenes ensu'd that 〈◊〉 TO HIS HIGHNESS RICHARD LORD PROTECTOR of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging May it please your Highness THe Poor Widow came far short of others in her offers into the Treasury and yet when she had given her two Mites she had given all she had I must fall short of her she gave of her own for the two Mites appear to have been so but such is the weakness of my condition and the nature of this ensuing Discourse that I neither can nor shall herein present to Your Highness any thing of my own The words actions and atchievements herein related belong all to other Persons and I can challenge but the bare Representation and the molding them into such a Body wherein they now appear A Body not of so compleat a shape or pourtraiture as may be worthy Your Highness Aspect It s not amiss for Princes to hear of and read the Actions or Miscarriages of Princes nay of lesser persons Indeed they can hardly set more useful Books before their Eyes It is hard for the Pilot to escape unless he hath first discovered those Shelves and Rocks upon which others have been split What is that we call Prudence or Policy but a Systeme of Observations and Experiences deducted from other Mens Principles Practises Purposes and Failings As to the matter contained in this Story relating to Arbitrary courses given way unto by former Princes I shall make bold to use the expression of an eminent person in his time spoken in full Parliament at the Tryal of the Earl Strafford who speaking of an endeavor that had been used to subvert the Laws and to introduce Arbitrary Government has among other Passages this Observation There is in this Crime a Seminary of all Evils hurtful to a State and if you consider the Reasons of it it must needs be so The Law is that which puts a difference betwixt Good and Evil betwixt just and unjust if you take away the Law all things will fall into a confusion every man will become a Law to himself which in the depraved condition of Humane Nature must needs produce many great enormities Lust will become a Law and Envy will become a Law Covetousness and Ambition will become Laws and what Dictates what Decisions such Laws will produce may easily be discerned The Law is the Safeguard the Custody of all private Interest your Honors your Lives your Liberties and Estates are all in the keeping of the Law without this every man hath a like right to every thing what can be more hurtful more pernicious then Arbitrary Power c. Thus far that Gentleman Your Highness will finde here the mention of a great Prince who was wont to say He was an old experienced King and to him belonged the Calling Sitting and Dissolving of Parliaments and he publickly said I speak in his own phrase That he had broke the neck of Three Parliaments yet at last he did comply with his last Parliament and said He saw he should be in love with Parliaments having understood many things by them which otherwise he should never have known Moreover here You will have in view a succeeding Prince who also broke Three Parliaments one after another and how fatal that was to him succeeding times have abundantly declared The Observation is not mine but of much more ancient date those Princes who did most consult with their People in Parliament that being the Common Council of the Nation have most prospered in their courses there being both Safety and Love gained from such Counsellors and Councils And Parliaments in the nature of them are good Physick to cure and redress the Diseases and Distempers of the Body Politick which mostly grow and overflow in the Intervals of them yet many think Parliaments are but an ill constant Dyet which certainly moved Queen Elizabeth of famous Memory who was well acquainted with the Constitution of the Body of this Nation to call Parliaments frequently but to continue none very long By this means she wrought her self into the good opinion of her People and by becoming the Mistress of their Affections she also became in some sort the Mistress of their Purses which were always opened unto her upon the just and urgent occasions of the Nation but the Help and Aid which comes from the People by strains contrary to the Laws of the Nation and Liberties of the People being drawn from them through fear wants the perfume of a
Cases at the Council Table when great Causes were heard before the King and Council And when matters were agitated at a greater distance I was there also and went on purpose out of a curiosity to see and observe the passages at the Camp at Berwick at the Fight at Newborn at the Treaty at Rippon at the great Council at York and at the meeting of the Long Parliament The Observations I made during all the said time shall be further known if I be encouraged to proceed and that this my Forlorn be not repelled and defeated Thus have I good Reader acquainted thee in plain English with the Lines and rude Draughts of what hath been and what is like to be multorum annorum opus in which as I never did approve so neither could I perswade my self to tread in their Steps who intermingle their Passion with their stories and are not content to write of unless they write also for a Party or to serve an Interest and so declare themselves far better Advocates then Historiansâ—â— I profess that in singleness of heart I aim at truth which to me has alwayes seemed hugely amiable even without the tires and advantages of Wit and Eloquence And therefore in order to my greatest purpose I have esteemed the most unaffected and familiar Stile the best Altum alii teneant And so irresistible is the force of Truth and the Divine Providence so great that howsoever all possible diligence may have been used to carry things in secret and to act by colourable Pretences men often acting like Tumblers that are squint-eyed looking one way and aiming another Yet hath God in these our dayes brought to light such Secrets of State such private Consultations such strâ—nge Contrivances discovered by Letters Papers and Cabinet-memorials seised on in time of the War as otherwise probably neither we nor our Posterity should have ever known I conclude with the learned Spaniards opinion Satis est Historiae si sit vera quae ut reliqua habeat omnia si veritatem non habet obtinere nomen suum non potest J. RUSHWORTH 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h.e. Anglorum leges Suadam consulta Senatus ausáque cuncta loquor tempore quaeque suo Excipis adverso si pectore ore maligno pluribus invideas Zoile nemo tibi The Printer to the Reader BEing obliged to get this Book finished against the ensuing Term I was constrained to make more haste then ordinary so that possibly some Faults have escap'd which I request the Courteous Reader to Pardon and Amend as they shall be met with VALE The right high and most mightie Monarch â—AMES by the Graâ—ce of God King of great Britaine Fraunce and Ireland c Defendor of the Faith Historical Collections THe grand business of State in the latter times of King Iames was the Spanish Match which had the Kings heart in it over-ruled all his Counsels and had a mighty influence upon the Universal State of Christendom This King affecting the name of a King of Peace and Peace-maker as his chief glory had designed what in him lay the setling of a general Peace in Europe and the reconciling of all Parties and professed that if the Papists would leave their King-killing and some other grosser Errors he was willing to meet them half way moreover he was ever zealous for the honor and height of regal Majesty and to maintain the glory of it in his Successors 't was his chief desire and care to match his Son with some Princess of most high descent though of a different Religion There had been a Treaty of Marriage between the late Prince Henry and a Daughter of Spain which on the Spaniards part was found a meer Complement carried on by the accustomed gravity and formality of that Nation For Cecil Earl of Salisbury the great States-man of that time pursued and drove the matter to that point that the Duke of Lerma finding no evasion disclaimed the being of a Marriage Treaty Nevertheless the Spanish Ambassador to acquit himself to this State and to clear his own honesty at a full Council produced his Commission together with his Letters of Instruction given under the Duke's hand Such manner of dealing might have been sufficient Cause of just Indignation against any future motion of this Alliance After death of Prince Henry the King set his thoughts upon a Daughter of Henry the Fourth late King of France as the fittest Match for Prince Charles and by Sir Thomas Edmonds his Legier Ambassador endeavored to know the minde of that State but could not discern their affections and was not willing to discover his own At length taking occasion to send the Lord Hayes Extraordinary Ambassador to the French King to Congratulate his Marriage with Anne the Infanta of Spain he resolved to make a thorow Trial The matter was put forth and in appearance well taken but proved of no effect For the Duke of Savoy was before-hand and prevailed for his Son the Prince of Piedmont During this Negotiation of Alliance with France the Duke of Lerma frequently intimated unto Sir Iohn Digby Ambassador Resident in Spain an extraordinary desire in the King his Master not onely to maintain Peace and Amity with the King of great Britain but to lay hold on all means that might be offered for the nearer uniting of their Majesties and their Crowns as also a disposition in this regard to match his second Daughter to the Prince of Wales The Ambassador replyed that His Majesty had little reason to give ear to this overture having not long since in the Treaty for the late Prince received such an unexpected Answer and Demands so improper and unworthy and that there needed more then ordinary assurance to induce him to believe that there was now so great a change and the match desired in good earnest and not propounded meerly to divert the match with France wherefore he expected the proposal of such terms of advantage and certainty as might gain a belief of their sincere Intentions Lerma promised a further Conference But by reason of a strong report that the Match with France was absolutely concluded and within few dayes to be published the business lay asleep until Sir Iohn Digby going for England was desired by the Duke to give him notice of the state of this Affair From hence Digby gives him to understand that there was no cause of dispair concerning this new overture unless the difficulty of the Conditions should make it desperate but if the Demands in point of Religion were no more then what would satisfie another Catholick Prince and to which his Majesty might yeild with Honor he knows that divers persons not of the meanest power were well inclined and ready to give their helping hand He said further that it were much better not to revive this motion then by impossible and unfitting
Provinces because among other quarrels they gave refuge to the expulsed Palatine Nevertheless King Iames resolved to wait upon the Match with Spain as the onely means to consolidate these publique fractures in Christendom And now behold a strange Adventure and Enterprise The Prince and the Marquis of Buckingham accompanied with Cottington and Endimion Porter Post in Disguise to Spain to accelerate the Marriage The 17. of February they went privately from Court and the next day came to Dover where they imbarqued for Boloign and from thence rode Post to Paris where they made some stop The Prince shadowed under a bushy Peruque beheld the splendor of that Court and had a full view of the Princess Henrietta Maria who was afterwards his Royal Consort For besides the great privacie of the Journey they had so laid the English Ports that none should follow or give the least advertisement until they had gotten the start of Intelligencers and passed the bounds of France Howbeit they escaped narrowly and a swift Intelligence sent to the King of Spain from Don Carlos Coloma was even at their heels before they arrived at Madrid The Prince and Buckingham being in the Territories of Spain to make but little noise rode Post before their Company The 7. of March they arrived at Madrid the Royal residence and were conveyed with much secrecie into the Earl of Bristols house The next morning the Earl acquainted Gondomar with the arrival of the Marquis of Buckingham Olivares sends immediately to desire leave to visit the Marquis which was by no means permitted but in the evening the Marquis went privately accompanied with the Earl of Bristol Sir Walter Aston and Conde Gondomar and met this great Conde in a place near the Palace and after some Converse was led by a back-way into the Kings quarter and had private Audience of the King who received him with extraordinary courtesies and expressions of so great joy that might signifie he was not ignorant of the Princes arrival also Insomuch that the Conde Olivares having procured the Kings leave went back with the Marquis of Buckingham and kissed the Princes hands After this the King and State devise how to give his Highness the most honorable reception Instantly they decree That upon all occasions of meeting he shall have the precedencie of the King That he shall make his entrance into the Royal Palace in that form of State which is used by the Kings of Spain on the day of their Coronation and that one of the chief quarters in the Kings house shall be prepared for his Lodgings That an Hundred of the Guard attend him and all the Council obey him as the Kings own person The Common sort did magnifie this brave Adventure and express his Welcom by shouts and acclamations of joy and presently they marry him to the Infanta as it were by publique voice And the King to please him with a sight of his Mistress went abroad to visit a Monastery with the Queen the Infanta and his Brothers Don Carlos and the Infant-Cardinal So that his Highness had the happiness of a full View in several places The King in person gave him several Visits and forced him to take the hand and place of him Divers Grandees and prime Officers of State came to present their service and as yet none did visit him but by the Kings special order A General Pardon was published the Prisons were opened and hundreds of Offenders were set at liberty And a late Proclamation against Excess in Apparel was revoked Neither may we forget the Kings strain of Complement in the Advancement of Gondomar to whom he ascribed his great contentment and honor received by his Highness's presence That he had made the Conde whom he was pleased to term an English-man one of his Council of State to the end that his Highness might be confident of their Proceedings and privy to all their Passages The Prince on the day of Publique Entrance was attended in the morning by the Conde Gondomar and divers Councellors of State to S. Ierom's Monastery the place whence the Kings of Spain are wont to make their solemn entrance into Madrid on the day of their Coronation There the Prince was feasted and served by divers great Officers of State waiting bare-headed After dinner the King came to conduct his Highness through the Town to the Royal Palace having prepared all things for the Solemnity in the greatest magnificence and splendor The King setting the Prince on his right hand they rode in great glory under a Canopy of State supported by the Regidors of the Town who were arrayed in Cloth of Tissue The Nobility and Grandees of Spain attended by their several Liveries all very rich and costly went before And after came the Marquis of Buckingham and the Conde Olivares executing their places of Masters of the Horse After them followed the Earl of Bristol and Sir Walter Aston accompanied with divers Councellors of State and Gentlemen of the Kings Chamber And being alighted at the Palace-gate the King led the Prince to the Queens quarters where having entred her chamber he was met and received by her with great respect in manner becoming the state of great Princes three Royal seats were placed the Queen sate in the middle the Prince on her right hand and the King on the left His Highness was thence conducted by the King to the Lodgings prepared for him where after they had conversed a while the King left him After a little pause the Queen by her Major-domo gave him a further and very noble Welcom with sundry rich Presents as Perfumes and costly Wearing-Linen The King sent him two Golden Keys which would open all his Privy-lodgings and his Bed-chamber giving him to understand that he had free access unto him at all hours The Councellors of State presented themselves to let him know That by the Kings express command they were to obey his Highness as exactly as the King himself He was constantly attended and served with Grandees and Tituladoes and was entertained with many Shews and Triumphs and several daily Pastimes And one day running at the Ring in company of divers of the Nobility his Higness was the onely Person that bore the Ring away and that in presence of the Infanta his Mistress which was interpreted a good Omen at the beginning of his Atchievement In fine there wanted nothing which the wit of man could devise for the height of outward glory The Governors of the Town presented the Marquis of Buckingham with the rich Cloth of State which was borne over the King and Prince in the great Solemnity as a Fee belonging to the Place which he then executed From the Court of England many Lords and Gentlemen went after the Prince that by a splendid Train and Retinue of his own People he might appear as the Prince of England And the Marquis of Buckingham was then made a Duke by a Patent
express command to Bristol to deliver his thanks to the King of Spain for the high entertainment personal kindness respect and favor received by his Son the Prince who was returned so well satisfied as that he was not able to magnifie it sufficiently And further to let him know That to make a firm and indissoluble union between their Families Nations and Crowns and withal not to abandon his own Honor nor at the same time to give joy to his only Son and to give his onely Daughter her Portion in Tears he had by the advice of that Kings Ambassadors entred into a Treaty for the Restitution of the Palatinate that he always understood and expected that upon the effecting of this Marriage he should obtain the restoring of his Son-in-law both to his Countrey and Dignity and that the Emperor either by sinding out some great Title or by increasing the number of the Electoral Stiles might satisfie the Duke of Bavaria And for these Reasons the King commanded Bristol instantly to procure from that King a punctual Answer touching the course he resolves to take for the restitution of the Palatinate and Electorate and what assurance shall be given for his contentment if the Emperor or Duke of Bavaria should oppose any part of the expected restitution Moreover he gave direction and signified his special desire that the Espousals should be made in one of the Christmas Holidays because that holy and joyful time would best become an action so notable and blessed The Earl of Bristol with the Concurrence of Sir Walter Aston took boldness to demur upon these new Instructions and yet again to represent to his Majesty the state of these affairs they inform him that by deferring the Epousals till Christmas the powers were made altogether useless and invalid there being a Clause in the body of them That they shall remain in force till Christmas and no longer And the suspending of the execution of the powers till the validity of them be expired is an effectual revoking of them Besides the pretexts of this delay are no new but old matters which were often under debate but never insisted on to retard the main business And it will be thought that they should rather have hindered the Grant of these powers then the execution of them being granted Surely a staggering in the former resolutions will be suspected and the clearing thereof between Spain and England will cost much time As concerning the Prince Palatine it was the care of the Spanish Ministers that that business might be well compounded before the Infanta's coming into England For they say that otherwise they might give a Daughter and a War presently follow Besides the Instructions given under his Majesties hand were indeed to insist upon the restoring of the Prince Palatine yet not so to annex it to the Treaty as thereby to hazard the Match For he seemed to be confident that the one would never grow to a conclusion without a setled resolution to effect the other And the Prince and Duke during their being in Spain observed the same course Moreover the Palatinate affairs have relation to many great Princes interessed therein and cannot be ended but by a formal Treaty which will require a great length of time and if the conclusion of the Match should depend thereon the Prince may be long enough unmarried for the advancement of their interest who desire he should so continue or not match with Spain The preparations for the Marriage go on chearfully the Popes Dispensation is hourly expected with an intention to demand the powers immediately and upon what pretext shall they be detained Shall we alledge his Majesties pleasure that the solemnity be performed in the Christmas Holidays But that is impossible for the powers are then expired Shall we urge the restoring of the Palatine This was not made a condition but was treated as a business a part The delay of the Desponsario's will put a scorn upon the Infanta and upon the King of Spain who hath called himself the Infanta's Desponsado And this cannot stand with that exact and honorable dealing which his Majesty hath hitherto used Now upon these Inducements in the result and close of all the Ambassador humbly advised the King to return to the former state of the Treaty and to nominate a day for the delivery of the Proxies and resolved somewhat to protract the time for the receiving of his Majesties further direction Thus did the Earl of Bristol endeavor to restore the business and the better to bring it on Sir Walter Aston labored to reconcile the Duke to Spain by this manner of Insinuation He believed that his Grace was infinitely provoked to be an enemy to this Match and might have many Reasons suggested how much it concerned him to break it with all the force he hath yet he could not believe that the Error of one Man can make him an enemy to that which carries in it so much content to the King and Prince nor that his judgment can be led by these Arguments which under colour of safety would bring him into a dangerous labyrinth For the most prosperous War hath misfortune enough to make the Author of it unhappy and how innocent soever his Grace might be yet the occasions which have been given him will make him liable to such an aspersion But if the Match proceed and take effect he will have the honor thereof and the Infanta being duly informed must needs acknowledge him to be the person unto whom in that behalf she is most obliged But these Motions incensed Buckingham And now having the Prince linked to him he could over-rule the King and bear down all his Adversaries The Prince and the Duke began to take a popular way and to close with those of the Privy Council and the Nobility that were opposite to Spain and best liked of by the Puritan party They projected also the calling of a Parliament to consult the Nation and to clear the Kings integrity and to gain to themselves a great esteem in the hearts of the people And some there were that suggested to the King that the Dukes design was to prevent the Princes Marriage not onely with Spain but any where else that his own greatness might still be absolute For say they were it love to his Countrey that led him to a breach and War with Spain there was as much reason for a breach of the Match and Peace when the Parliament urged it as now there is And they said That the approaching Parliament was to marry the Duke to the Commonwealth that he might stand not onely by the King but by the people and popular humor which of late he hath courted earnestly and so they warned the King to have more special care of his own preservation But the Earl of Bristol was straightly commanded to follow the new Instructions namely before he deliver the Powers or move to the Contract to procure from
require of you by these Presents is Which we do promise in the name of Us our Heirs and Successors to repay to you or your Assigns within Eighteen moneths after the paiment thereof unto the Collector The person whom we have appointed to collect it is To whose hands we do require you to send it within Twelve days after you have received this Privy-Seal which together with the Collectors Acquittance shall be sufficient Warrant unto the Officers of our Receipt for the repaiment thereof at the time limited Given at c. The Collectors of this Loan were appointed to pay into the Exchequer the Sums received and to return the Names of such as discovered a disposition to delay or excuse the paiment of the Sums imposed Amidst the preparations for War with Spain the Privy-Council issued out Warrants for the disarming of Popish Recusants grounding their Order upon the Petition of the late Parliament HIs Majesty and we of his Council having received information from so many several parts of the bold and impudent spéeches used by many Romish Catholicks of this Realm declaring how much they are offended with the gracious satisfaction given by his Majesty to the Lords and Commons in Parliament in the points concerning the Conservation of true Religion as it is at this day by Authority preached in the Church of England And having just cause to doubt that many violent Papists through the instigation of Iesuited Priests may be inclined to take part with such as we well understand at this time practise with the Kings Subjects to raise stirs and tumults which they do not only foment by perswasions and instigations but with promise of assistance and seconding them with Arms their pretext being Religion but their ends Conquest pushed thereunto by an unlimited Ambition to a General Monarchy of which we have too large and clear proof And although we do not misjudge and condemn all his Majesties Subjects Romish Catholicks but believe that many of them will imploy their Arms and lives in his service Yet because we are not able to distinguish betwéen the well and worse-affected We have seconded with one Advice his Majesties Princely inclination following the example of his wiâ—e Predecessors of happy memory and government to take out of the possession of all Romish Recusants convicted or justly suspected according to the Acts of State heretofore expressed all such Martial Ammunitions Arms and Weapons as shall be found in their houses or discovered to be in the houses of any other persons belonging by right to any of the said Romish Recusants But so that the said Arms be only taken to be safely kept and the Property to be reserved to the Owners according to the former Presidents in like Cases This Design proceeded and the Council directed their Letters to these Lords Recusants viz. The Marquis of Winchester and the Lord St. John his son Lord Viscount Mountague Lord Viscount Colchester Lord Peter the Earl of Castlehaven Lord Morley Lord Vaux Lord Eures Lord Arundel of Warder Lord Tenham Lord Herbert Lord Windsor requiring them to render their Arms and Furniture thereunto belonging together with all their Habiliments of War to be removed into places convenient and to remain there till the King shall determine otherwise Moreover the Privy-Council having received information from the Lords-Lieutenants in divers parts of the Kingdom That there was great and unaccustomed Resort to the houses of Papists and that other Courses justly to be suspected were held among them Authorised the Lords-Lieutenants to examine the truth and reason of such Assemblies and Entertainment and of the conveyance and intercourse of Letters as also to enquire and search if there were any preparation of Men or Arms or Practice of Arms or endeavors of Alteration among persons discontented with the present Government In the mean time the Fleet was ready and Ten brave Regiments were designed for this Expedition The Duke not going in person Sir Edward Cecil was created Lord Viscount Wimbleton and made Commander in Chief In the Choice of the Officers for this service Sir Robert Mansel an experienced Sea-Commander was neglected which much disgusted the Mariners The Common Censure that passed both upon the Duke and this Enterprise may be known by the Lord Cromwels free language to the Duke in this Letter THey offer to lay wagers the Fleet goes not this year And that of necessity shortly a Parliament must be which when it comes sure it will much discontent you It is wondred at that since the King did give such great Gifts to the Duchess of Chevereux and those that then went how now a small Sum in the Parliament should be called for at such an unseasonable time And let the Parliament sit when it will begin they will where they ended They say the Lords of the Council knew nothing of Count Mansfield's Iourney or this Fleet which discontents even the best sort if not all They say it is a very great burden your Grace takes upon you since none knows any thing but you It is conceived that not letting others bear part of the burden you now bear it may ruine you which Heaven forbid Much discourse there is of your Lordship here and there as I passed home and back And nothing is more wondred at then that one Grave man is not known to have your ear except my good and Noble Lord Conway All men say if you go not with the Fleet you will suffer in it because if it prosper it will be thought no act of yours and if it succeed ill they say it might have been better had not you guided the King They say your undertakings in the Kingdom will much prejudice your Grace And if God bless you not with goodness as to accept kindly what in duty and love I here offer questionless my freedom in letting you know the discourse of the world may much prejudice me But if I must lose your favor I had rather lose it for striving to do you good in letting you know the talk of the wicked world then for any thing else so much I heartily desire your prosperity and to see you trample the ignorant multitude under foot All I have said is the Discourse of the World and when I am able to judge of Actions I will freely tell your Lordship my mind Which when it shall not always incline to serve you may all Noble thoughts forsake me But whilst the English Fleet was preparing for this Voyage great Reports were given out that the Spaniard would land Forces upon the Coast of Essex Wherefore the Earl of Warwick was commanded with Three thousand of the Trained Bands of Essex to secure the Port of Harwich and Langer-Point which service he performed with much readiness But upon the Blocking up of Dunkirk with Ships belonging to the English and to the States of the United Provinces his Lordship was ordered to dismiss his men Presently after Advertisements came to
Coronation was briefly thus THe King went that day from Westminster-Hall to the Abbey Church attended by the Aldermen of London Eighty Knights of the Bath in their Robes the Kings Serjeants at Law Solicitor and Attorney Generals the Judges Barons Bishops Viscounts and such of the Earls who bore no particular Office that day in their Parliament Robes going two by two before the King all uncovered and after them followed his Officers of State being Eight Earls and one Marquess those persons according to their respective places and offices carried the Swords the Globe the Scepter the Crown and the Lord Major of London carried the short Scepter two Bishops carried the one the Golden Cup and the other the Plate for the Communion Next before his Majesty went the Earl of Arundel as Earl-Marshal of England and the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High-Constable of England for that day The King being cloathed in White Sattin went under a rich Canopy supported by the Barons of the Cinque Ports the King having on each hand a Bishop and his Train of Purple-Velvet was carried up by the Master of the Robes and the Master of the Wardrobe At the entring into the Church Bishop Laud delivered into the Kings hands the Staff of King Edward the Confessor with which the King walked up to the Throne then the Archbishop of Canterbury presented his Majesty to the Lords and Commons there present East West North and South who gave their consent to his Coronation as their lawful Soveraign After Sermon was done the King went to the Altar where the Old Crucifix amongst other Regalia stood as also the Ointment consecrated by a Bishop to take the Coronation Oath which as is said was performed in this manner viz. SIS says the Archbishop will You grant and kéep and by Your Oath confirm to the People of England the Laws and Customs to them granted by the Kings of England Your Lawful and Religious Predecessors and namely the Laws Customs and Franchises granted to the Clergy by the glorious King St. Edward Your Predecessor according to the laws of God the true Profession of the Gospel established in this Kingdom agréeable to the Prerogative of the Kings thereof and the Antient Customs of the Realm I grant and Promise to keep them Sir will You kéep Peace and Godly Agréement according to Your Power both to God the Holy Church the Clergy and the People I will keep it Sir will You to Your Power cause Law Justice and Discretion to Mercy and Truth to be executed to Your Judgment I will Sir will You grant to hold and kéep the Laws and Rightful Customs which the Communalty of this Your Kingdom have and will You defend and uphold them to the honor of God so much as in you lyeth I grant and promise so to do Then one of the Bishops read this Passage to the King Our Lord and King we beseech You to Pardon and to Grant and to Preserve unto us and to the Churches committed to Your Charge all Canonical Priviledges and do Law and Iustice and that You would Protect and Defend us as every good King to His Kingdoms ought to be Protector and Defender of the Bishops and the Churches under their Government The King answereth With a willing and devout Heart I promise and grant my Pardon and that I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your Charge all Canonical Priviledges and due Law and Justice and that I will be your Protector and Defender to my Power by the assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdom in right ought to protect and defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government Then the King arose and was lead to the Communion Table where he takes a Solemn Oath in sight of all the People to observe all the Premisses and laying his hand upon the Bible said The things which I have here promised I shall perform and keep So help me God and the Contents of this Book After the Oath the King was placed in the Chair of Coronation and was Anointed by the Archbishop with a costly Ointment and the Antient Robes of King Edward the Confessor was put upon him and the Crown of King Edward was put upon his Head and his Sword girt about him and he offered the same and two Swords more together with Gold and Silver at the Communion Table He was afterwards conducted by the Nobility to the Throne where this Passage was read to his Majesty Stand and hold fast from henceforth the place to which You have been Heir by the Succession of Your Forefathers being now delivered to You by the Authority of Almighty God and by the hands of us and all the Bishops and Servants of God And as You see the Clergy to come nearer to the Altar then others so remember that in all places convenient You give them greater honor that the Mediator of God and Man may establish You in the Kingly Throne to be a Mediator betwixt the Clergy and the Laity and that You may Raign for ever with Iesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Afterwards the Nobility were swâ—rn to be Homagers to the King and some other Ceremonies were performed which being done the Lord Keeper by the Kings command read a writing unto them which declared the Kings free Pardon to all his Subjects who would take the same under the Great Seal The Ceremonies of the Coronation being ended the Regalia were offered at the Altar by Bishop Laud in the Kings Name and then reposited The Bishop of Lincoln faln into disgrace by the displeasure of the Duke of Buckingham had not received his Writ of Summons which he represented to the King with Submission to his Majesties pleasure denied as he said to no Prisoners or condemned Peers in his Fathers Reign to enable him to make his Proxy if his Personal attendance be not permitted Likewise he besought his Majesty That he would be pleased to mitigate the Dukes causless anger towards him who was so little satisfied with any thing he could do or suffer that he had no means left to appease him but his Prayers to God and his Sacred Majesty Also that in his absence in this Parliament no use might be made of his Majesties Sacred Name to wound the Reputation of a poor Bishop who besides his Religion and Duty to that Divine Character which his Majesty beareth hath affectionately honored his very person above all Objects in this World as he desired the Salvation of the World to come And he craveth no Protection against any other Accuser or Accusation whatsoever On Monday the Sixth of February began the Second Parliament of the Kings Reign The King being placed in his Royal Throne the Lords in their Robes and the Commons below the Bar it pleased his Majesty to refer them to the Lord Keeper for what he had to say The Lord Keepers Speech My Lords ANd you the Knights
Spain did really fully and effectually intend the said Marriage between the said Lady his Sister and the said Prince our now Soveraign Lord according to Articles formerly propounded between the said Kings Whereas in truth the said Emperor and King of Spain or either of them never really intended such restitution as aforesaid And whereas the said King of Spain never really intended the Marriage according to those Articles propounded but the said Emperor and King of Spain intended onely by those Treaties to gain time to compass their own ends and purposes to the detriment of this Kingdom of all which the said Earl of Bristol neither was nor could be ignorant The said late King Iames by entertaining those Treaties and continuing them upon those false Assurances given unto him by the said Earl as aforesaid was made secure and lost the opportunity of time and thereby the said Dominions Territories and Possessions of the said Count Palatine and the Electoral Dignity became utterly lost and some parts thereof were taken out of the actual possession of the said King Iames unto whose protection and safe keeping they were put and committed by the said Count Palatine and the most Excellent Lady Elizabeth his Wife and their Children are now utterly dispossessed and bereaved thereof to the high dishonor of our said late Soveraign Lord King Iames to the disherison of the said late Kings Children and their Posterity of their Antient Patrimony and to the disadvantage and discouraging of the rest of the Princes of Germany and other Kings and Princes in Amity and League with his Majesty II. That the said Earl of Bristol being Ambassador for his late Majesty King Iames as aforesaid in Annis supradictis and having received perfect plain and particular Instructions and Directions from his said late Majesty That he should put the King of Spain to a speedy and punctual Answer touching the Treaties aforesaid And the said Earl well understanding the effect of those Instructions and Directions so given unto him and taking precise knowledge thereof and also knowing how much it concerned his late Majesty in honor and safety as his great Affairs then stood to put these Treaties to a speedy conclusion Yet nevertheless he the said Earl falsly willingly and traiterously contrary to his Alleagiance and contrary to the trust and duty of an Ambassador did continue those Treaties upon Generalities without effectual pressing the said King of Spain unto particular Conclusions according to his Majesties Directions as aforesaid and so the said Earl intended to have continued the said Treaties upon Generalities and without reducing them to Certainties and to direct Conclusions To the high dishonor of his said late Majesty and to the extream danger and detriment of his Majesties person his Crown and Dominions Confederates and Allies III. That the said Earl of Bristol being Ambassador for his said late Majesty as aforesaid in the years aforesaid to the intent to discourage the said late King Iames for the taking up of Arms entring into Hostility with the said King of Spain and for resisting him and his Forces from attempting the Invasion of his said late Majesties Dominions and the Dominions of his said late Majesties Confederates Friends and Allies the said King of Spain having long thirsted after an Universal Monarchy in these Western parts of the World hath many times both by words and Letters to the said late King and his Ministers extolled and magnified the greatness and power of the said King of Spain and represented unto his said late Majesty the supposed dangers which would ensue unto him if a War should happen between them and affirmed and insinuated unto his said late Majesty That if such a War should ensue his said late Majesty during the rest of his life must expect neither to Hunt nor Hawk nor eat his Meat in quiet Whereby the said Earl of Bristol did cunningly and traiterously strive to retard the Resolutions of the said late King to declare himself an enemy to the said King of Spain who under colour of Treaties and Alliances had so much abused him and to resist his Arms and Forces to the loss of opportunity of time which cannot be recalled or regained and to the extream danger dishonor and detriment of this Kingdom IV. The said Earl of Bristol upon his dispatch out of this Realm of England in his Ambassage aforesaid having communication with divers persons in London within this Realm of England before his going into Spain in and about his Ambassage concerning the said Treaty For the Negotiating whereof the said Earl purposely was sent and he the said Earl being then told That there was little probability that these Treaties would or could have any good success he the said Earl acknowledged as much and yet nevertheless contrary to his duty and alleagiance and to the faith and truth of an Ambassador he the said Earl said and affirmed That he cared not what the success thereof would be for he would take care to have his Instructions and to pursue them punctually and howsoever the business went he would make his Fortune thereby or used words at that time to such effect whereby it plainly appeareth That the said Earl from the beginning herein intended not the Service or Honor of his late Majesty but his own corrupt and sinister ends and for his own advancement V. That from the beginning of his Negotiation and throughout the whole managing thereof by the said Earl of Bristol and during his said Ambassage He the said Earl contrary to his faith and duty to God the true Religion professed by the Church of England and the Peace of this Church and State did intend and resolve that if the said Marriage so treated of as aforesaid should by his Ministry be effected that thereby the Romish Religion and Professors thereof should be advanced within this Realm and other his Majesties Realms and Dominions and the true Religion and Professors thereof discouraged and discountenanced And to that end and purpose the said Earl during the time aforesaid by Letters unto his late Majesty and otherwise often counselled and perswaded his said late Majesty to set at liberty the Jesuites and Priests of the Romish Religion which according to the good Religious and Politick Laws of this Kingdom were imprisoned or restrained and to grant and to allow unto the Papists and Professors of the Romish Religion free Toleration and silencing of all the Laws made and standing in force against them VI. That by the false Informations and Intelligence of the said Earl of Bristol during the time aforesaid unto his said late Majesty and to his Majesty that now is being then Prince concerning the said Treaties and by the Assurances aforesaid given by the said Earl his said late Majesty and the Prince his now Majesty being put into hopes and by the said long delay used without producing any effect their Majesties being put into jealousies and just suspition that there was no such sincerity
used towards them as they expected and with so many Answers from the Earl had on their part been undertaken the said Prince our now gratious Soveraign was inforced out of his love to his Countrey to his Allies Friends and Confederates and to the peace of Christendom who all suffered by those intolerable delays in his own person to undertake his long and dangerous journey into Spain that thereby he might either speedily conclude those Treaties or perfectly discover that on the Emperors and King of Spains part there was no true and real intention to bring the same to conclusion upon any fit and honorable terms and conditions and did absolutely and speedily break them off By which journey the person of the said Prince being then Heir-Apparant to the Crown of this Realm and in his person the peace and safety of this Kingdom did undergo such apparant and such inevitable danger as at the very remembrance thereof the hearts of all good Subjects do even tremble II. Offences done and committed by the said Earl during the time of the Princes being in Spain VII THat at the Princes coming into Spain during the time aforesaid the Earl of Bristol cunningly falsly and traiterously moved and perswaded the Prince being then in the power of a foreign King of the Romish Religion to change his Religion which was done in this manner At the Princes first coming to the said Earl he asked the Prince for what he came thither the Prince at first not conceiving the Earls meaning answered You know as well as I. The Earl replied Sir Servants can never serve their Master industriously although they may do it faithfully unless they know their meanings fully Give me leave therefore to tell you what they say in the Town is the cause of your coming That you mean to change your Religion and to declare it here And yet cunningly to disguise it the Earl added further Sir I do not speak this that I will perswade you to do it or that I will promise you to follow your example though you will do it but as your faithful Servant if you will trust me with so great a secret I will endeavor to carry it the discreetest way I can The Prince being moved at this unexpected motion again said unto him I wonder what you have ever found in me that you should conceive I would be so base and unworthy as for a Wife to change my Religion The said Earl replying desired the Prince to pardon him if he had offended him it was but out of his desire to serve him Which perswasions of the said Earl was the more dangerous because the more subtile whereas it had been the duty of a faithful Servant to God and his Master if he had found the Prince staggering in his Religion to have prevented so great an error and to have perswaded against it so to have avoided the dangerous consequence thereof to the true Religion and to the State if such a thing should have hapned VIII That afterwards during the Princes being in Spain the said Earl having conference with the said Prince about the Romish Religion he endeavored falsly and traiterously to perswade the Prince to change his Religion and to become a Romish Catholick and to become obedient to the usurped Authority of the Pope of Rome And to that end and purpose the said Earl traiterously used these words unto the said Prince That the State of England never did any great thing but when they were under the obedience of the Pope of Rome and that it was impossible they could do any thing of note otherwise IX That during the time of the Princes being in Spain the Prince consulting and advising with the said Earl and others about a new offer made by the King of Spain touching the Palatinates Eldest Son to marry with the Emperors Daughter but then he must be bred up in the Emperors Courts the said Earl delivered his opinion That the Proposition was reasonable whereat when Sir Walter Aston then present falling into some passion said That he durst not for his head consent to it the Earl of Bristol replied That he saw no such great inconvenience in it for that he might be bred up in the Emperors Court in our Religion But when the extream danger and in a manner the impossibility thereof was pressed unto the said Earl he said again That without some great Action the Peace of Christendom would never be had which was so dangerous and so desperate a Counsel that one so near the Crown of England should be poysoned in his Religion and become an unfriend to our State that the consequences thereof both for the present and future times were infinitely dangerous and yet hereunto did his disaffection to our Religion the blindness in his Judgment misled by his sinister respects and the too much regard he had to the House of Austria lead him III. Offences done and committed by the said Earl after the Princes coming from Spain X. THat when the Prince had clearly found himself and his Father deluded in these Treaties and hereupon resolved to return from the Court of Spain yet because it behoved him to part fairly he left the powers of the Desponsories with the Earl of Bristol to be delivered upon the return of the Dispensation from Rome which the King of Spain insisted upon and without which as he pretended he would not conclude the Marriage The Prince foreseeing and fearing lest after the Desponsories the Infanta that should then be his Wife might be put into a Monastery wrote a Letter back to the said Earl from Segovia thereby commanding him not to make use of the said Powers until he could give him assurance that a Monastery should not rob him of his Wife which Letter the said Earl received and with speed returned an Answer thereto into England perswading against this Direction yet promising Obedience thereunto Shortly after which the Prince sent another Letter to the said Earl into Spain discharging him of his farther command But his late Majesty by the same Messenger sent him a more express direction not to dispatch the Desponsories until a full Conclusion were had of the other Treaty of the Palatinate with this of the Marriage for his Majesty said That he would not have one Daughter to laugh and leave the other Daughter weeping In which Dispatch although there were some mistaking yet in the next following the same was corrected and the Earl of Bristol tyed to the same Restriction which himself confessed in one of his Dispatches afterwards and promised to obey punctually the Kings command therein yet nevertheless contrary to his Duty and Alleagiance in another Letter sent immediately after he declared That he had set a day for the Desponsories without any Assurance or so much as treating of those things which were commanded to him as Restrictions and that so short a day that if extraordinary diligence with good success in the Journey had not concurred
default in continuing upon Generalities without pressing to Particulars but hath been caused as well by Difficulties which the business brought with it as also with exterior Accidents viz. The Wars of Bohemia the death of two Popes and of the late King of Spain without the least fault of the said Earl as is acknowledged by his late Majesty of blessed memory in the said Earl his Instructions on the 14. of March 1621. Neither could any delay herein be attributed unto him the said Earl For he was imployed in those times into Germany and Flanders and Sir Walter Aston and Sir Francis Cottington for the space of three or four years were resident in Spain from whence the hopes they gave were upon all the discreet grounds that Ministers can expect from a State But the Earl reassumed this business six moneths before his Majesties coming into Spain and he was so desirous to see his Majesty then Prince bestowed that he pressed nothing so much both to the King and Prince as that the Prince might lose no more time and rather to break the Match with Spain then suffer any further delays as will appear by his Dispatches from his first arrival at the Court of Spain until his Majesties then Prince his coming For in his Letters of Iune 20. 1622. being the first he wrote after his first Audience he was so desirous that no time might be lost that in them he craveth leave of his Majesty that in case he should find any Delays in Spain he might without expecting any Order take his leave and come home Upon the return of Sir Francis Cottington in September following he wrote both to the King and his Majesty then Prince To the King as followeth I Shall presume to add to that which Mr. Cottington shall deliver unto your Majesty by word of mouth of the present estate of the Match what I conceive to be the right way to bring it to a speedy issue That your Majesty will be pleased positively to declare what you will do in point of Religion and that you will appoint me a certain limited time by which this King should procure the Dispensation or conclude the Match without it And in case there shall be any further delay therein that I may then declare your Majesty to be free and disengaged to bestow the Prince in such sort as you shall judge most convenient And to the Prince at thesame wrote in these subsequent words viz. THat which will be necessary for his Majesty presently to do on his Majesties part is to declare himself how far he will be pleased to yield in point of Religion as Mr. Cottington will approve unto your Highness And that he set a prefixed time to break or conclude the Match either with the Dispensation or without the same For the rest it may be left to my Negotiation But your Highness may be pleased to hasten his Majesties resolution with all possible speed And the said Earl saith That having received from his said late Majesty his resolution in point of Religion and a limited time according to his desire he was so precise and punctual therein that although the making or breaking of the Marriage depended upon it he would not give one moneths respite longer time for the procuring of the Dispensation until he had first acquainted his late Majesty therein and received his Directions under his own hand as will appear by his Majesties Letters of Octob. 25. 1622. as followeth RIght Trusty and welbeloved Cousin and Counsellor We greet you heartily well Whereas by your last Letter written to our Secretary dated Sept. 29. you are desirous to have our pleasure signified unto you under our own hand Whether we will be content or not to grant a Moneths time longer for the coming of the Dispensation from Rome then we have already limited unto you in case they shall there conclude all things else to our contentment with a Resolution to send the Infanta hither the next Spring We do hereby declare unto you that in that case you shall not break with them for a Moneths longer delay We also wish you not to trouble your self with the rash Censure of other men in case your business should not succeed resting in that full assurance of our Iustice and Wisdom that we will never judge a good and faithful Servant by the effect of things so contingent and variable And with this assurance we bid you heartily farewell And he further saith That when he had agreed to the Articles of Religion and that a certain time was set for the coming of the Dispensation and a Conclusion of the Match although he would bind himself to nothing without his Majesties approbation yet for that no time might be lost he agreed to the Propositions De bene esse sent by Mr. Porter Decemb. 10. 1622. to the end the Articles might immediately be sent to Rome without losing so much time as to hear first from England And humbly moved that in case his Majesty should like of the said Articles he would send his Approbation directly to Rome for the gaining of time which his Majesty was pleased to do And at the same time he wrote both to his said late Majesty and his Majesty then Prince as followeth viz. To his Majesty This is the true state of the business as it now standeth If your Majesty approve of what is done I hope it will be a happy and a short Conclusion If your Majesty think it not fit to allow and condescend to the said Articles I have done the uttermost of my endeavors and shall humbly perswade your Majesty not to lose a day longer in the Treaty so much it importeth your Majesty and your Kingdoms that the Prince were bestowed And to the Prince in Letters of the like date in this sort I have presumed to write to his Majesty that which I think my duty to say to your Highness That in case you shall not approve of what is now conditionally agreed you permit not a day more to be lost in this Treaty For it is of so great consequence that your Highness were bestowed that it importeth almost as much that you were speedily as â—itly matched But I hope his Majesty and your Highness will in such sort approve of this last Agreement as you will speedily bring this long Treaty to a happy conclusion I am out of hope of bringing things to any better terms therefore I deal clearly with your Highness and do not only most humbly perswade but on my knees beg it of you that you either resolve to conclude this Match as you may or speedily to break it and bestow your self elswhere for no less then the happiness of your Kingdom and the security of the King your Father and your self depend upon it All which things being considered the Earl most humbly submitteth himself to the Judgment of that most high and honorable Court whether the Delays which accidents have brought forth in
Answer in writing under their hands whether they would conform to the Lord Conways Letter and to the Instrument peraffetted at Rochester for delivery over of the said ships yea or no offering to procure them a sufficient discharge to their contentment for their so doing The same day also Sir Ferdinando Gorge and the rest by writing under their hands subscribed did declare as followeth namely That they were willing to obey our King but held not the security peraffetted at Rochester by the three Ambassadors to be sufficient though honorable and so they absolutely refused to deliver their ships upon that security desiring better caution in that behalf 1. By Merchants of Paris 2. To be transferred to London 3. Irrevocable 4. And such as might not be protected by Prerogative and to have this under the Hands and Seals of both Kings All this while our King or body of the Council knew nothing in certain of any other design of the French then only of their pretence against Genoa and believed that all the Articles and Instruments that had passed between the French and us or the Captains Masters and Owners of the English ships had been penned and contrived with full and good Cautions accordingly for pâ—evention of all dangers that might grow to the contrary Also the same 28 Iuly the Captains and Masters taking notice of Mr. Nicholas pressing them to deliver their ships before security given to their content contrary to former Propositions which they held unreasonable did make answer unto the Marquis in writing That until they should have security to their contentment they would not quit the possession of their ships unto the French which was but reasonable and they sent therewith a valuation of their several ships as they would stand to They likewise demanded a performance of all things formerly sent to his Lordship from them by Mr. Nicholas save only for the security by money deposited saying that for all the rest they durst not proceed otherwise Lastly they prayed for a speedy Answer that the delay in this business may not seem to be in them But D' Effiat being confident of the Duke of Buckingham's Letters promises and proceedings aforesaid would not consent to these reasonable demands of the Captains and Masters of the English ships protracting the time till he might hear further from the said Duke out of England While these things were thus in handling both in France and in England there were written over out of France into England Letters of advertisement how and upon what ground or by what act or means procured or occasioned appeareth not yet from one Mr. Larking a servant to the Earl of Holland and a kind of Agent a person some way imployed by our State or under some of our Ambassadors or Ministers in France That the Peace was concluded with those of our Religion in France and that within fourteen days the War would break forth or begin in Italy with a Design upon Genoa a matter of great importance for annoying the Spaniard This Letter of Larking came to the English Court at Richmond 28 Iuly when the Duchess of Chevereux Child was there Christened and the Contents thereof as hath been alleaged were confirmed by the Ambassadors of Savoy and Venice By the advantage and colour whereof the Duke of Buckingham drew the King who all this while knew nothing of the Design upon Rochel or those of our Religion but thought the â—ormer Articles had been safe and well penned both for him and his Subjects according to the most religious and politick intention and Instructions in that behalf originally given by his late Father to write a Letter dated at Richmond the same 28 Iuly directed to the said Captain Pennington to this effect viz. His Majesty did thereby charge and command the said Captain Pennington without delay to put his Highness former Command in execution for consigning the Vantguard into the hands of the Marguis D'Effiat for the French with all her Furniture assuring her Officers his Majesty would provide for their Indemnity And to require the seven Merchants ships in his Majesties name to put themselves into the service of the French King according to the promise his Majesty had made unto him And in case of backwardness or refusal commanding him to use all forcible means to compel them even to sinking with a Charge not to fail and this Letter to be his Warrant This Letter was sent by Captain Thomas Wilbraham to Captain Pennington who was yet in the Downs In the beginning of August 1625. Captain Pennington went over again to Diep carrying with him the said Letters of his Majesty and certain Instructions in writing from the Duke of Buckingham to Mr. Nicholas agreeable in substance to the former verbal Instructions given by the Duke to him at Rochester as the said Nicholas alleadgeth who also affirmeth that in all things what he did touching that business he did nothing but what was warranted by the Dukes Instructions to him which if it be true then the Duke of Buckingham who commanded and imployed him therein must needs be guilty of the matters so acted by the said Mr. Nicholas If there be any subsequent act or assent of Council or of some Counsellors of State for the going of these ships to the French or for putting them into their power it was obtained only for a colour and was unduly gotten by misinforming the Contents of the sealed Articles and concealing the Truth or by some other undue means Neither can any such latter act of Council in any sort justifie the Dukes proceedings which by the whole current of the matter appears to have been indirect in this business even from the beginning About the time of Captain Pennington's coming over to Diep the second time Mr. Nicholas did in his speeches to the Captains and Masters of the seven Merchants ships threaten and tell them That it was as much as their lives were worth if they delivered not their ships to the French as he required which put them in such fear as they could hardly sleep And thereupon two of them were once resolved to have come again away with the ships and because the former threats had made them afraid to return into England therefore to have brought and left their ships in the Downs and themselves for safety of their lives to have gone into Holland Captain Pennington being the second time come into Diep there forthwith delivered and put the said ship the Vantguard into the absolute power and command of the French King his Subjects and Ministers to the said French Kings use to be imployed in his service at his pleasure and acquainted the rest of the Fleet with the effect of his Majesties Letter and Command and demanded and required them also to deliver and put their ships into the power and command of the French King accordingly The Captains Masters and Owners of the seven Merchants ships refused so to do as conceiving it was not
his Covetousness and therefore their Lordships need not wonder if the Commons desire and that earnestly to be delivered from such a Grievance That this complaint and proceedings of theirs may appear to be suitable to the proceedings of their Predecessors in like Cases he alleaged three Presidents which he said were Presidents in kinde but not in proportion because there hath never been the like The first 10 Rich. 2. in the Complaint against Michael de la Pool Earl of Suffolk out of which he took Three Articles the first That being Chancellor and sworn to the Kings profit he had purchased divers Lands from the King more then he had deserved and at an under rate yet this was thought to be an offence against the State The second That he had bought of one Tydman an Annuity of Five hundred pound per annum which Grant was void by the Laws yet he being Chancellor procured the King to make it good by a new Grant upon Surrender of the old This was complained of in Parliament and there punished The third Whereas the Master of St. Anthonies being a Schismatick had forfeited his Possessions into the Kings hand this Earl took them in Farm at Twenty Marks a year converting the overplus which was One thousand Marks to his own profit which should have come to the King The next President II Rich. 2. in the Judgment against Robert de Vere of Oxford and others out of which he took two Articles the Fifth and the Seventh The Fifth was for taking Mannors and Lands annexed to the Crown whereby they themselves were inriched and the King made poor the Seventh was for intercepting the Subsidies granted for the defence of the Kingdom The third President is that of 28 Hen. 6. in the Parliament Roll out of the Complaint against William de la Pool Duke of Suffolk Article 29. That he being next and primest of Council to the King he had procured him to grant great Possessions to divers persons whereby the King was much impoverished the expence of his House unpaid Wages Wardrobe Castles Navy Debts unsatisfied and so by his subtile Council and unprofitable Labor the Revenues of the Crown and the Dutchy of Lancaster and other the Kings Inheritances so much diminished and the Commons of the Kingdom so extreamly charged that it was near to a final destruction The fourth was That the Kings Treasure was mischievously distributed to himself his friends and well-willers so that for lack of Money no Army nor Ordnance could be provided in time and because these great persons were not brought to judgment upon these Articles alone but for other misdemeanors he made this observation That ravening upon the Kings Estate is always accounted with other great faults that deserve judgment Then he said he had done with that which had been left to him and so he left the Duke to their Lordships Justice That as he had exceeded others in this Offence so he might not come behinde them in punishment And so he humbly desired their Lordships to be pleased to pardon his Delivery and to give a favorable censure of him Lastly The Thirteenth Article was read XIII Whereas especial care and order hath been taken by the Laws of the Realm to restrain and prevent the unskilful Administration of Physick whereby the health and life of men may be much endangered And whereas most especially the Royal Persons of the Kings of the Realm in whom we their Loyal Subjects humbly challenge a great interest are and always have been esteemed by us so sacred that nothing ought to be prepared for them or administred unto them in the way of Physick or Dyet in the times of their sickness without the consent and direction of some of their sworn Physitians Apothecaries or Surgeons And the boldness of such how near soever to them in place and favor who have forgotten their Duties so far as to presume to offer any thing unto them beyond their experience hath been always ranked in the number of high Offences and Misdemeanors And whereas the sworn Physitians of our late Soveraign Lord King Iames of Blessed memory attending on his Majesty in the moneth of March in the Two and twentieth year of his most glorious Raign in the times of his sickness being an Ague did in due and necessary care of and for the recovery of his health and preservation of his Person upon and after several mature Consultations in that behalf had and holden at several times in the same moneth resolve and give directions That nothing should be applied or given unto his Highness by way of Physick or Dyet during his said sickness but by and upon their general advice and consents and after good deliberation thereof first had more especially by their like care and upon like consultations did justly resolve and publickly give warning to and for all the Gentlemen and other Servants and Officers of his said late Majesties Bed-chamber That no Meat nor Drink whatsoever should be given unto him within two or three hours next before the usual time of and for the coming of his Fit in the said Ague nor during the continuance thereof nor afterwards until his cold Fit were past The said Duke of Buckingham being a sworn Servant of his said late Majesty of and in his Majesties said Bed-chamber contrary to his duty and the tender respect which he ought to have had of his Majesties most Sacred Person and after the Consultations Resolutions Directions and Warning aforesaid did nevertheless without any sufficient warrant in that behalf unduly cause and procure certain Plaisters and a certain Drink or Potion to be provided for the use of his said Majesty without the direction or privity of his said late Majesties Physitians not prepared by any of his Majesties sworn Apothecaries or Chirurgeons but compounded of several ingredients to them unknown Notwithstanding the same Plaisters or some Plaister like thereunto having been formerly administred unto his said Majesty did produce such ill effects as that some of the said sworn Physitians did altogether disallow thereof and utterly refused to meddle any further with his said Majesty until these Plaisters were removed as being hurtful and prejudicial to the health of his Majesty yet nevertheless the same Plaisters as also a Drink or Potion was provided by him the said Duke which he the said Duke by colour of some insufficient and slight pretences did upon Monday the One and twentieth day of March in the Two and twentieth year aforesaid when his Majesty by the judgment of his said Physitians was in the declination of his Disease cause and procure the said Plaisters to be applied to the Brest and Wrists of his said late Majesty And then also at and in his Majesties Fit of the said Ague the said Munday and at several times within two hours before the coming of the same Fit and before his Majesties then cold Fit was passed did deliver and cause to be delivered several quantities of the