and Cools many Hopes and Despairs the Prince wrote a Letter to his Father of a desperate Despair not only of not enjoying his Lady but of never more returning with this Passage You must now Sir look upon my Sister and her Children forgetting ever you had such a Son and never thinking more of Me. Now the Folly of this Voyage plotted only by green Heads began to appear many shewing much Sorrow many smiling at their Follies and in truth glad in their Hearts and however the King was a cunning Dissembler and shewed much outward Sorrow as he did for Prince Henry's Death yet something was discerned which made his Court believe little Grief came near his Heart for that Hatred he bore to Buckingham long as being Satiated with him and his Adoring the Rising-Sun not looking after the Sun-Setting made the World believe he would think it no ill Bargain to lose his Son so Buckingham might be lost also The Reason the King so hated Buckingham was besides his being weary of Him and his Marriage after which the King's Edge was ever taken off from all Favourites yet this had so much the over-awing Power of Him that He durst not make Shew to affect any other There was one Inniossa a Spanish Ambassador extraordinary being an old Souldier and a Gallant Fellow thought that Buckingham did not give that Respect to Him which was due to his own Person or to the Person of so Great a King whose Person He represented This Inniosa being a daring Gentleman used some Speeches in Derogation of the Prince and Buckingham as if they were dangerous to the old King Nay Inniosa sent one Padro Mecestria a Spanish Jesuit and a great States-man to King James to let Him know that He under Confession had found the King was by Buckingham or by his Procurement to be Killed but whether by Poyson Pistol Dagger c. he could not tell The King after the Hearing of this was extreamly Melancholly and in that Passion was found by Buckingham at his return to Him The King as soon as ever He espyed him said Ah Stenny Stenny for so He ever called him in familiarity Wilt Thou kill Me At which Buckingham started and said Who Sir hath so abused You At which the King sate Silent Out went Buckingham Fretting and Fuming asked Who had been with the King in his Absence It was told him Padro Mecestria Then Buckingham went immediately and questioned Padro Mecestria Which Quarrel Inniâ—ssa undertook and told him He would maintain him a Traytor and wear his Master's Person off him He was a Chivalier and better Born than Himself and would make it Good on Him with his Sword Buckingham being fully Satisfied on several Accounts of the great Hatred the King now bare unto him He turned as great an Hater of the King and though the King had more Power to Revenge He had less Courage and Buckingham less Power and more Courage sharpned with Revenge And however the World did believe the King's Inclination was out of a Religious Ground that He might not Revenge yet it was no other but a Cowardly Disposition that durst not adventure But although the King lost his Opportunity on Buckingham yet the Black Plaister and Powder did shew Buckingham lost not his on the King and that it was no Fiction but a Reality that Padro Mecestria had formerly told the King And now to return from this Digression which is not impertinent besides a great Secret The Prince returns from Spain contrary to Expectation in which the Wisdom and Gravity of the Spaniard failed him especially if they did believe Padro Mecestria besides Nature could not long Support the old King and then the Spaniard might have made no little Advantage by enjoying such a Pledge Now is all the Fault of the Match not succeeding laid on Digby's False Play and Unfaithfulness to his Master and Combining with the Spaniard for his own Ends And Buckingham the most Hated Man then living from an Accused Man in the former Parliament came to be the very Darling of this Parliament In the Banquetting-Hhouse before both Houses of Parliament does Buckingham give an Account at large of his Spanish-Voyage and to every full Point as a further Attestation he saith How say You Sir To which the Prince answered I Yea or Yes and thorough all his Discourse laboured to make Bristol as hateful to this Parliament as Himself had been to the Former Bristol having some Friends that sent him Advice of All into Spain He immediately Posts for England makes Buckingham's Relation and Accusation wholly Scandalous and False and becomes a great Favourite to King James In this Place I hold it not unfit to shew the Reader how the King hath ever been Abused and would be abused by over-much Credulity in the Treaty of Spain for Marriages as well as in all other Negotiations You shall now perceive how the King was Abused in this Treaty which was an Error inexcusable in Himself and whole Council The Italians having a Proverb He that Deceives me Once it is his Fault but if Twice it is my Fault This second time could not but be the only Fault of the King and Council In Prince Henry's Life-time the King had a little Man but a very great and wise Councellor little Salisbury his Secretary of State that great Statesman who did Inherit all his Fathers Wisdom as well as his Offices There was a Treaty in the like case for Prince Henry Salisbury instantly discovered the Jugling before any other did think of any for although it went forward cunningly yet did Salisbury so put the Duke of Lerma unto it that either it must be or they must confess their Jugling The Duke of Lerma denied that ever there had been any Treaty or any Intention from that State Salisbury sent for the Ambassador to a full Council and told him How he had abused the King and State about a Treaty for Marriage which he had no Commission for that therefore he was liable to the Laws of our Kingdom For when any Servant doth abuse a State by their Master's Commission then that Servant was freed but without Commission was culpable and liable to be Punished by the Laws of that State as being disavowed to be Servant to the King his Master The Ambassador answered gravely He did not understand the cause of his coming therefore was then unprepared to give any Answer but on Monday he would again come and give his Answer On Monday he comes begins with these words My Soul is my God's my Life my Master 's my Reputation my Own I will not forfeit my First and Last to preserve the Second Then lays down his Commission and Letters of Instruction under the Duke of Lerma's own Hand He acquitted himself Honestly in this State yet lost his own being instantly sent for Home where he lived and dyed in Disgrace here was Legatus vir bonus peregre missus sed non ad mentiendum reipublicae causa
for it is Riches makes Men Cowards Poverty Daring and Valiant to adventure at any thing to get something yet did not Buckingham dâ— things wholly for nothing but what their Purses could not stretch unto they paid in Pensions out of their Place all which went to maintain his numerous Beggarly Kindred Bacon paid a Pension Heath Attorney paid a Pension Bargrave Dean paid a Pension with multitudes oâ— others Fotherby made Bishop oâ— Salisbury paid down 3500 l. for hiâ— Bishoprick There were Books of Rates on all Offices Bishopricks Deaneries in England that could teâ—â— you what Fines what Pensions otherwise had it been impossible such a numerous Kindred could have been maintained as Buckingham's was with Three Kingdoms Revenue And now Buckingham having the Chancellor Treasurer and all great Officers his very Slaves swells in the height of Pride summons up all his Country Kindred the Old Countess providing a place for them to learn to carry themselves in a Court-like Garb. Then must these Women-Kindred be Married to Earls Earls Eldest Sons Barons or chief Gentlemen of greatest Estates insomuch that the very Female Kindred were so numerous as sufficient to have Peopled any Plantation Nay very Kitchin-Wenches were Married to Knights Eldest Sons Then was there a Parliament Summoned in which Bacon for his Injustice was thrust out being closely Prosecuted by one Morby a Woodmonger and one Wreham and was by the said Parliament justly put out of his Place In Bacon's place comes Williams a man on purpose brought in at first to serve turns but in this place to do that which none of the Laiety could be found bad enough to undertake This Williams though he wanted much of his Predecessors Abilities for the Law yet he equall'd him for Learning and Pride and beyond him in the way of Bribery This man answering by Petitions a new way in which his Servants had one Part himself another and so was calculated to be worth to Himself and Servants Three thousand Pounds per Annum And now being come to the height of his Preserment he did estrange himself from the Company of the old Countess having much younger Ware who had Keys to his Chamber to come to him yet was there a Necessity of keeping him in this Place for a time the Spanish Match being yet in Chase and if it succeeded this Man was to clap the Great Seal through his Ignorance in the Laws to such Things that none that understood the Danger by knowing the Laws would venture upon and for this Design he was at first brought in no Prince living knowing how to make use of Men better than King James The Spanish Match having been long in Treaty and it being suspected now that the Spaniard did juggle with the State in this as they formerly did in a Match with that brave Prince Henry and in truth in all other Things wherein any Negotiation had been only feeding the King with fair Hopes and fair Words yet foul Deeds Whether the King suspected any such Matters or any Whimsie came in the Brain of the great Favourite and Prince to imitate the old Stories of the Knights-Errand but agreed it was it should seem between the Favourite and the Prince only no one other so much as dreaming of any such Adventure except Cottington which also accompanied them that the Prince must go himself into Spain Away they went under the borrowed Names of Jack and Tom Smith to the amazement of all wise Men only accompanied with Three more Persons taking their way by France had the Ports laid so that none should follow them or give any Notice to the French-Court till they might get the start c. Yet their Wisdoms made them adventure to stay in the French-Court and look on that Lady whom he after Married And there did this Mars imitate one of Prince Arthur's Knights in seeking Adventures in foreign Princes Territories First beheld this French Beauty Mars visemque cupit patiturque cupita as in our Discourse will afterward appear From thence away to Spain but as the Journey was only plotted by young Heads it was so childishly carried that they escaped the French-King's Curriers very narrowly but escape they did and arrived safely in Spain their wished Port before either welcome or expected by our Ambassadors or that State Yet now must the best Face be put on at all hands that put their Grandees to new Shifts and our Ambassador the Earl of Bristol to try his Wit For at that time Sir W. Aston was also Ambassador at Spain in all Occurrences Aston complyed with the Prince and Duke Bristol rancounter and the Duke and Bristol hated each other mortally Bristol had the advantage of them there as having the much better Head-piece and being more conversant and dear to that State wholly complying with them and surely had done them very acceptable Services and in this very Treaty was of the Pack Buckingham had the advantage of him in England for although the King did not hate Buckingham yet was so awed that he durst not discover it Then Buckingham had all Interest in his Successor by this Journey so that he layd a present and future Foundation for his succeeding Greatness For all his Power and Greatness Bristol did not forbear to put all Scorns Affronts and Tricks on him and Buckingham lay so open as gave the other advantage enough by his Lascivious Carriage and Miscarriage Amongst all his Tricks he play'd One so cunningly that it cost him all the Hair on his Head and put him to the Dyet for it should seem he made court to Conde Olivâ—res's Lady who was very handsom But it was so plotted betwixt the Lady her Husband and Bristol that instead of that Beauty he had a Notorious Stew sent to him and surely his Carriage there was so Lascivious that had ever the Match been really intended for our Prince yet such a Companion or Guardian was enough to have made them believe that he was that way inclined and so have frustrated the Marriage that being a grave and sober Nation Bucking being of a light and loose Behaviour and had not the Prince himself been of an extraordinary staid Temper the other had been a very ill Guardian unto him But now many Lords flock over and many Servants that he might appear the Prince of Great Britain and like himself though he came thither like a private Person Many Treaties were sometimes Hope sometimes Fear sometimes great Assurance then all dasht again and however his Entertainment was as great as possible that State could afford yet was his Addresses to and with the Lady such as rendred him mean and a private Person rather than a Prince of that State that formerly had made Spain feel the Weight of their Anger and Power and was like a Servant not a Suitor for he never was admitted but to stand bare-head in her Presence nor to talk with her but in a full Audience with much Company At last after many Heats
of Buckingham was designed Admiral who going to Portsmouth in order to hastening of Business one John Felton a Lieutenant Stabbed him to the Heart with a Knife Felton after he had committed the Fact did not Fly but voluntary acknowledged he was the Person and being asked What inclined him to commit so Barbarous an Act he boldly answered He Killed him for the Cause of God and his Country The Parliament was to have met in October but by reason of some ill News during this Expedition they were Adjourned to January 20. In which time the Merchants refusing to pay Custom had their Goods seized Complaint thereof being made to the Parliament the King Summons the Two Houses to the Banqueting-House at White-Hall and requires them to Pass the promised Bill of Tonnage and Poundage for ending all Differences since it was too precious a Jewel of the Crown to be so lightly forgone But the Commons answered That God's Cause was to be prefered before the King 's and that they would therefore in the first place consult about Religion And therefore they appointed one Committee for Religion and another for Civil Matters In the last was a Complaint about the Customs and the Farmers of the Customs were Challenged but the King excused them as acting by His Command Yet this being not clear to the Parliament they would have proceeded against them as Delinquents Whereupon the King sent them word That in Honour he could not nor would give way thereunto which so incensed the Parliament that they Adjourned themselves for some Days and then Meeting again the King Adjourned them till March 10. The Commons inraged thereat blamed their Speaker for admitting the Message and ordered Sir J. Elliot to draw up their Remonstrance which was in very high terms about the Tonnage and Poundage The Commons having prepared their Remonstrance about the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage they required their Speaker to put it to the Vote whether it should be Presented to the King or not but the Speaker refused it and according to the King's Order would have gone away but Mr. Hollis would not suffer him to stir till himself had read the Protestation of the House consisting of Three Heads I. Whosoever shall bring in any Innovation of Religion or by Favour seek to introduce Popery or Arminianism or other Opinions disagreeing to the Orthodox Church shall be reputed a Capital Enemy to this Kingdom and Common-Wealth II. Whosoever shall Counsel or Advise the Taking or Levying the Subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage without being granted by Parliament or shall be an Actor or Instrument therein shall be likewise reputed a Capital Enemy to the Common-Wealth III. If any shall yield voluntary or Pay the same not being granted by Parliament he shall be reputed a Betraver of the Liberties of England and an Enemy to the Common-Wealth These were so much disliked by the King that he immediately sent for the Serjeant of Mace out of the House of Commons but Sir M. Hobart took the Key from him and locking the Door would not suffer him to go forth At which the King being very much offended sends the Usher of the Black-Rod to Dissolve Them who was not admitted in Whereupon the King with his Guard of Pensioners were resolved to force their Entrance which the Commons having notice of they suddenly went all out of the House And this was the End of this Parliament After their Dissolution the King Published a Declaration setting forth the Cause thereof notwithstanding which it procured great Animosities in the People against the Prime Ministers of State which occasioned divers Libels to be dispersed abroad whereof one against Bishop Laud was found in the Dean of St. Paul's Yard to this effect Laud look to thy self to be sure thy Life is sought as thou art the Fountain of Wickedness Repent of thy Monstrous Sin before thou be taken out of the World And assure thy self that neither God nor the World can endure such a vile Whisperer and Councellor Some considering the unsuccessfulness of This and the Two former Parliaments advised the King never to Call any more And to that end the famous Book of Projects was Published and Addrest to the King proposing some Methods to prevent the Impertinency of Parliaments as he called them from time to time by the Example of Lewis XI of France who pretending that the Commons or Third part did encroach too much on the Nobility and Clergy Dissolved it and never after suffered the People freely to Elect their Representatives but nominated certain Eminent Persons himself instead thereof which is called L' Assembly des Notabiles or the Assembly of the Chief or Principal Men. Upon May 29. 1630. the Queen was Delivered of a Son at St. James's who was Christened Charles who afterwards Succeeded his Father in these Kingdoms by the Name of CHARLES the Second In the Year 1633. and the Ninth of His Majesty's Reign the King made a Journey into Scotland and was Solemnly Crowned at Edinborough June 18. And then the King Calls a Parliament and passed an Act for the Ratification of the Old Acts. In this Scotish Parliament that Nation shewed some sign of Disaffection to the King And the generality of the Common People would not suffer the Bishop of Dumblaine Dean of the King 's private Chapple there to perform Prayers twice a day after the English manner Neither durst they receive the Communion on their Knees nor wear a Surplice upon Sundays and Holy-Days In the Year 1634. the design of Ship-Money was first set on foot and Attorney-General Noy being consulted about it he pretends out of some Old Records to find an Ancient Precedent of raising a Tax on the Nation by the Authority of the King alone for setting out a Navy in case of Danger which was thereupon put in Execution And by this Tax the King raised by Writ above Twenty Thousand Pounds per Month though not without great Discontent both among the Clergy and Laiety The Discontent in Scotland began farther to increase and a Book was Published charging the King with indirect Proceedings in the last Parliament and a tendency to the Romish Belief And now to blow up these Scotch Sparks to a Flame Cardinal Richlieu sent over his Chaplain and another Gentleman to heighten their Discontents The Author of that Book was Seized and found to be abetted by the Lord Balmerino who was thereupon Arraigned by his Peers and Sentenced to Death but Pardoned by the King The latter end of the Year 1635. great Differences arose about Church Matters chiefly occasioned by Arch-Bishop Laud's strict and zealous enjoyning Ceremonies as placing the Communion-Table at the East-end of the Church upon an Ascent with Rails Altar-fashion with many other things not formerly insisted on and now vehemently opposed by those who were formerly called Puritans and Non-Conformists which caused them to be charged with Faction Yet some of the Episcopal Party asserted That the Communion-Table ought to stand in
numbers of Parliament Precedents concerning the Liberties of the Subject to be burnt next raising Two Hundred Thousand Pounds for making Two Hundred Baronets telling the King He should find his English Subjects like Asses on whom he might lay any Burthen but this Statesman died soon after very Miserable coming from Bath and was Buried on the top of a Mole-Hill near Marleborougâ— The principal Managers of the English Affairs were Salisbury Suffolk Northampton Buckhurst Egerton Lord-Keeper Worcester and the Old Admiral For the Scots Sir George Hewme now Earl of Dunbar Secretary Elfeston and the Lord of Kinloss Salisbury had now shaken off all those that were great with him in Queen Elizabeth's days as Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir G. Carew the Lord Grey and the Lord Cobham Now begins Ambassadors to appear from divers Princes the chief was Roney Duke of Sullia from the French King the Constable of Castile from the Spanish King the Count Arremburgh from the Arch-Duke To bring these Ambassadors over were appointed Sir Robert Mansel being Admiral and Sir J. Turner his Vice-Admiral to bring over the French and Spanish Ambassadors in which happened some Dispute The Constable of Castile so plyed his Masters business in which he spared for no cost that he procured a Peace so advantageous for Spain and so disadvantageous for England that It and all Christendome have since both seen and felt the lamentable effects thereof There was not one Courtier of note that tasted not of Spain's Bounty either in Gold or Jewels and among them not any in so large a proportion as the Countess of Suffolk who shared in her Lords Interest that in truth Audley-end that Famouâ— Structure had its Foundation of Spanish-Gold GOD for some secret Intent besâ— known to himself laid the Foundation of this King's Reign with thâ— greatest Plague or Mortality ever before heard of in this Kingdom and some by that judged what his futurâ— Reign would be He was forced bâ— that Contagion to leave the Metropolis and go into a by-corner in Wilt-shire in which time of his Abode there â— kind of Treason broke forth but whaâ— it was as no Man then could tell so it is left with so dark a Comment that Posterity will never understand the Text or remember any such Treason This pretended Plot consisted of Protestants Puritans Papists and Atheists a strange medly you will say to meet in one and the same Treason and keep Counsel which surely they did because they knew not of any The Protestants were the Lord Cobham and George Brook his Brother the one very Learned and Wise the other a most silly Lord The Puritan the Lord Grey of Walton a very hopeful Gentleman The Papists Watson and Clark Priests and Parham a Gentleman The Atheist Sir W. Rawleigh then generally so believed though after brought by Affliction the best School-Mistress to be and so Died a most Religious Gentleman This Sham-Plot was chiefly designed by Salisbury in which he has a double benefit first in riding himself of such as he feared would have been Thorns in his sides secondly by endearing himself to the King by shewing his diligence and vigilancy for his Safety They were all Araigned of Treason at Winchester whither the King sent some secretly to observe all Passages upon whose true and faithful Relations of the Innocency of the Persons Arraigned and slight proof upon which they were Condemned he would not be drawn to Sign any Warrant for the Execution of Rawleigh Cobham and Grey For Rawleigh's defence it was so brave and just as had he not wilfully Cast himself out of very weariness as unwilling to detain the Company any longer no Jury could ever have Cast him Yet Sir W. Rawleigh was Executed many years after for the same Treason as much against all Justice as beyond all Reason and Precedent Yea after he had been a General by the Kings Commission and had by that Power of the Lives of many others utterly against the Civil Law which saith He that hath Power of the Lives of others ought to be Master of his Own But the Spaniard was so Powerful at that time at Court as that Faction could command the Life of any Man that might prove dangerous to their Designs His Death was by him managed with so High Generous and Religious a Resolution as if a Roman had acted a Christian or rather a Christian a Roman During his Imprisonment he was Delivered of that Minerva The History of the World Now did the great Mannagers of the State of which Salisbury was Chief after they had Packed the Cards begin to deal the Government of the Kingdom among themselves yet for all their setting their Cards and playing their Games to their own advantages there was one Knave in the Pack would couzen their designs and Trump in their way if he might not share with them in their winning and that was one Lake a Clerk of the Signet afterwards made Secretary and after that turned out in disgrace This Lake was a fellow of mean Birth and meaner Breeding being an under Servant to make Fires in Secretary Walsingham's Chamber and there got some experience which afterwards in this King's Time made him appear an able Man which in Q. Eliz. Time when there was none in Court but Men of Eminency made him an inconsiderable Fellow This Lake had linked himself with the Scotch Nation helping them per fas aut nefas to fill their Purses c. For his good Service of abusing his Country and Countrymen he was made Clerk of the Signet to wait on the King in his Hunting Journies and in these Journies got all the Bills Signed even for the greatest Lords all Packets being addressed to him so that Salisbury and Northampton and the greatest Lords made Court to him By this means did he raise himself from a mean to a great Fortune but much over-awed by his Wife which after proved his overthrow besides he would tell Tales and let the King know the passages at Court and great Men as who was Salisbury's Mistress and who governed all who governed Northampton and discovered the Bawdery which did infinitely please the King's Humour and in truth had so much Craft as he served his turn upon all but was Ingrossed by none but by the Bed-Chamber who stuck so close to him that they could not yet remove him And now do the English Faction seeing they could not sever the Scots from him endeavour to raise a Mutiny against the Scots that were his Supporters their Agents divulging every where The Scots would get all and would Beggar the Kingdom The Scots on the other side complain to the King they were so poor they under-went the by-word of Beggarly-Scots To which the King returned this Answer Content your selves I will shortly make the English as Beggarly as you and so ended that Controversie This is as true as he truly performed it for however he enriched many in particular as Salisbury Suffolk Northampton Worcester Lake
delivered such a Verdict as they did and a just one upon their Views tho upon some of their Knowledges it was not that Lady they were to give Verdict upon Now is the Nullity pronounced and the Marriage with Somerset speedily Solemnized for which they and the whole Family of Suffolk paid dear in after time and had sowre Sauce to that sweet Meat of their great Son-in-Law And surely he was the most unfortunate in that Marriage being as generally Beloved as for himself and Disposition as Hated afterwards for his linking himself in that Family For in all the time of this Man's Favour before this Marriage he did nothing obnoxious to the State or any base thing for his private gain but whether this was his own Nature that curbed him or that there was then a Brave Prince living and a Noble Queen that did awe him we cannot so easily judge because after this Marriage and their Death he did many ill things Now began to appear a glimmering of a new Favorite one Mr. George Villers a younger Son by a second Venter of an Ancient Knight in Leicester-shire his Father of an Ancient Family his Mother of a Mean and a Waiting-Gentlewoman whom the Old-Man fell in Love with and Married by whom he had Three Sons all raised to the Nobility by meanâ— of their Brother Favorite This Gentleman was come but newly from Travel and did believe it a great Fortune to Marry a Daughter of Sir Roger Aston's and in truth 't was the height of his Ambition and for that only end was a hanger upon the Court The Gentlewoman loved him so well as could all his Friends have made herâ— great Fortune but an hundred Markâ— Joynter she had Married him presently in despight of all of them But before the closing up of this Match the King cast a glancing Eyâ— towards him which was easily observed by such as minded their Princes Humor and then the Match was â—aid aside some assuring him a greater Fortune was coming unto him Then one gave him his place of Cupâ—earer that he might be in the King's Eye another sent to his Mercer and Taylor to put good Cloaths on him a third to his Sempster for curious Linnen and all as In-comes to obtain Offices on his future rise Then others took upon them to be his Bravo's to undertake his Quarrels upon Affronts put upon him by Somerset's Faction so all hands helped to the piecing up this new Favorite Then began the King to Eat abroad who formerly used to Eat in his Bed-Chamber or if by chance Supped in his Bed Chamber would come forth to see Pastimes and Fooleries in which Sir Edward Souch Sir George Goring and Sir J. Finet were the chief and Master Fools and surely this Fooling got them more than any others Wisdom far above them in Desert Souch's part was to Sing Bawdy Songs and to tell Bawdy Tales Finet to compose these Songs Theâ— were a Sett of Fidlers brought up on purpose for this Fooling And Goring was Master of the Game for Fooleries sometimes presenting David Droman and Archee Armstrong the King's Fool on the back of the other Fools to Tilt at one another till they fell together by the Ears sometimes Antick Dances but Sir John Millisent who was never known before was commended for a notable Fool With this Jollity was this new Favorite ushered in This made the House of Suffolk fret and Somerset carried himself more proudly and his Bravado's ever quarrelling with the others which by his Office of Lord-Chamberlain for a while carried it but Somerset using of Sir Ralph Wynwooâ— whom himself brought in for Secretary of State in so scornful a manner he having only the Title the Earl himself keeping the Seals and doing the Business made Wynwood endeavor to ruine him who soon got an opportunity by frequenting the Countess of Shrewsburies then Prisoner in the Tower who told Wynwood on a time That Overbury was Poysoned which she understood from Sir Gervase Elwayes who did labour by her means to deal with her Two Sons-in-Law Arundel and Pembroke Winwood being also great with that â—action that when it came into question he might save his own Stake who truly was no otherwise Guilty but that he did not discover it at Weston's first disclosing it he being Keeper of the Prison so by Inâ—erence his not disclosing it was Overbury's Death and had he revealed it then he certainly had been brought into the Star-Chamber for it and undone for it was not the Time fit for discovery Winwood it was thought acquainted the King with it knowing how willingly he would have been rid of Somerset yet the King durst not bring it in question nor any Doubt ever would have been had not Somerset sought to cross him in his Passion of Love to his new Favorite in which the King was more impatient than any Woman to enjoy her Love Not long after Thrumbal Agent at Bruxels had by an Apothecaries Boy one Reeve after an Apothecary himself in London who lived sometime after gotten hold of this Poysoning business for Reeve having under his Master made some of these desperate Medicines either run away or else his Master sent him out of the way and fell in Company with Thrumbal's Servants at Bruxels to whom he revealed it and they to their Master who Examining the Boy discover'd the Truth Thrumbal presently wrote to Secretary Wynwood he had business of consequence to discover but would not send it therefore desired License to come over The King would not yield to his Return but willed him to send an Express That Thrumbal utterly refused and very wisely for letting any thing appear under his Hand leâ—t the Boy should Die or run away and then himself made the Author of that which the Courtesie of another must have justified The King being of a longing Disposition rather than he would not know admitted Thrumbal's Return and now had they good Testimony by the Apothecary who revealed Weston Mrs. Turner and Franklin to be the principal Agents yet this being now the time of Progress was not stired till about Michaelmas But still Wynwood now carry himself in a kind of braving way of Contestation against Somerset struck in with the Faction of Villers's And now on Progress the King went Westward where at the several places as he came he was highly Treated After all his Feastings homewards came the King who desired by all means to reconcile this Clashing between his declining and rising Favorite to which end at Lulworth the King imployed Sir Humphry May a great Servant to Somerset and a wise Servant to Villers but with such Instructions as if it came from himself and Villers had order presently after Sir Humphry May's return to present himself and Service to Somerset My Lord said he Sir George Villers will come to you to offer his Service and desire to be your Creature and therefore refuse him not Embrace him and your Lordship shall still stand a great
the House of Commons Voted That the Clergy in a Synod or Convocation have no Power to make Canons or Laws without Parliaments and that the Canons are against the Fundamental Laws of this Realm the King's Prerogative and the Property of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and tend to Faction and Sedition In pursuance hereof a Charge was ordered to be drawn up against Arch-Bishop Laud as the Principal Framer of those Canons and other Delinquencies which Impeachment was Seconded by another from the Scotch Commissioners Upon which he was Committed to the Black-Rod and Ten Weeks after Voted Guilty of High-Treason and sent to the Tower The Scots likewise preferred a Charge against the Earl of Strafford then in Custody requiring Justice against them both as the great Incendiaries and Disturbers both of Church and State The Lord-Keeper Finch was the next Person designed to be Censured and notwithstanding a Speech made in his own Vindication He was Voted a Traytor upon several Accounts But he fore-saw the Storm and went over into Holland Upon Monday March 26. 1640 the Earl of Strafford's Tryal began in Westminster-Hall the King Queen and Prince being present and the Commons being there likewise as a Committee at the managing their Accusation The Earl of Strafford though he had but short Warning yet made a Noble Defence The Accusation was managed by Mr. Pym consisting of Twenty eight Articles to most of which the Earl made particular Replies But the Commons were resolved to Prosecute him to Death and had therefore not only procured the Parliament of Ireland to Prosecute him there as Guilty of High-Treason but resolved to proceed against him by Bill of Attainder which they proceeded to dispatch And April 19. 1641. they Voted the Earl Guilty of High-Treason upon the Evidence of Secretary Vane and his Notes And upon the 25th they passed the Bill and sent it to the Lords for their Concurrence who a few Days after likewise agreed to it The Bill being finished and the K. fearing the Conclusion and being willing to do some good Office to the Earl His Majesty May 1. 1641 Calls both Honses together and in a Speech tells them That he had been present at the Hearing that great Cause and that in his Conscience possitively he could not Condemn him of High-Treason and yet could not clear him of Misdemeanours but hoped a way might be found out to Satisfie Justice and their Fears without oppressing his Conscience And so dismissed them to their great Discontent Which was propogated so far that May 3. were One thousand Citizens most of them Armed came thronging down to Westminster crying out for Justice against the Earl of Strafford The Commons had now finished a Bill for the Continuance of the Parliament which having passed the Lords was tendred to the King to be Signed together with the Bill for the Attainder of the E. of Strafford His Majesty Answered That on Monday following He would Satisfie them and on the Sunday the King spent the whole Day with the Judges and Bishops in Consulting The Judges told him That in Point of Law according to the Oath made by Sir Henry Vane he was Guilty of Treason The Bishops all agreed That the King might shew Mercy without Scruple and that he could not Condemn the Earl if he did not think him Guilty This was to matter of Fact but as to matter of Law He was to rest in the Opinion of the Judges Monday May 10. the King gives Commission to several Lords to Pass two Bills One The Bill of Attainder against the Earl of Strafford The Other Fâ—r continuing the Parliament during the pleasure of both Houses Which last Act was occasioned for Satisfying the Scots The next Day the King being troubled about the Earl writes a Letter to the House of Lords telling them That whereas Justice had been satisfied in his Condemnation an intermixture of Mercy would not now be unseasonable and therefore He desired them that if it might be done without any Discontent to the People the Earl might be permitted to fulfil the Natural Course of his Life in close Imprisonment Sequestred from all Publick Affairs provided he never attempted to make an Escape However He thought it a Work of Charity to Reprieve him till Saturday But nothing could be Obtained in Favour of him The Fall of this Powerful Man so startled other great Officers of State that several Resigned their Places July 5. A Charge was brought into the House of Commons against Dr. Wren Bishop of Ely being Accused of Treasonable Misdemeanours in his Diocess August 6. Both the English and Scotch Armies were Disbanded and Four Days after the King went towards Scotland and was Entertained with great Demonstrations of Affection by that Nation and Conferred several Places of Honour and Power upon divers of them He Confirmed likewise the Treaty between the Two Nations by Act of Parliament October 23 1641. A Horrid and Notorious Rebellion broke out in Ireland which was in divers Places managed with such Secresie that it was not Discovered at Dublin till the Night before it was to be put in Execution but in most other Places of the Kingdom it was carried on with such Fury That two hundred thousand English Men Women and Children were in a short Space barbarously Murdered The Irish to Dishearten the English from any Resistance bragged That the Queen was with their Army That the King would come amongst them also and Assist them That they did but maintain His Cause against the Puritans That they had the King's Com-Commission for what they did The Lords Justices sent Sir H. Spotswood to the King then in Scotland with an Account of all that happened He dispatched Sir J. Stuart with Instructions to the Lords of the Privy-Council in Ireland and to carry all the Money his present Stores would supply He likewise sent an Express to the Parliament of England as being near for their Assistance but they excused it And indeed the Irish pretended that the Scots were in Confederacy with them and to seem to Confirm it they abstained for some time from destroying the Estates or Murdering any of that Nation And on the other-side to Encourage the Irish they produced pretended Letters wherein they said They were Informed from England That the Parliament had passed an Act that all the Irish should be Compelled to the Protestant Worship and for the First Offence in refusing to Forfeit all their Goods for the Second their Estates and for the Third their Lives And besides this they presented them with the Hopes of Liberty That the English Yoak should be shaken off That they should have a King of their own Nation and that then all the Goods and Estates of the English should be divided amongst them With these Motives of Spoil and Liberty which were strengthned by the Former of Religion the Rebellion was carried on throughout the whole Kingdom The King being returned out of Scotland December 2d Summoned both Houses