all such designes And for the further clearing of His intentions in that particular He desired all His Nobility and Councell then attending Him to witnesse with Him whether they did see any colour of preparations or counsells that might reasonably beget a beliefe of any such designe and whether they were not fully perswaded to the contrary c whereupon the Nobility and Councell then present at yorke being in number above forty made a Declaration and Profession in these words We whose names are under written in obedience to His Majesties desire and out of the duty which we owe to His Majesties Honour and to truth being here upon the place and witnesses of His Majesties frequent and earnest Declarations and Professions of His abhorring all designes of making war upon His Parliament and not seeing any colour of preparations or counsels that might reasonably beget the beliefe of any such designe Do professe before God and testifie to all the world that we are fully perswaded that His Majesty hath no such intention but that all His indeavours tend to the firm and constant setlement of the true Protestant Religion the just priviledges of Parliament the liberty of the Subject the Law Peace and Prosperity of this Kingdome This solemne Profession was made by the King and attested by His Nobility and Councell June 15. 1642. which was five dayes after that the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament had made certaine propositions and orders for the bringing in of Money Plate or Horse c. for the maintaining an Army for their defence So that as I said before if feares and jealousies of the Kings intentions of raising and leavying War against His Parliament were a just cause or ground for his Parliament actually to raise or leavy forces against him and if we could also in our consciences believe that such feares and jealousies did really and truly possesse both Houses yet when it appeares by such evidence as greater and better could not be given that those feares and jealousies were not just it is strange to thinke what conscience or faith I might adde what hope or charity that man hath that can answer or declare in the presence of Almighty God that he beleeveth in his conscience that the forces raised by the Parliament upon that unjust ground or cause were raised for their just defence 3. Quar. How can any man sweare in Judgement and in Truth that he doth in his conscience believe that the forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament were raised and are continued for the defence of the true Protestant Religion when as first if by the true Protestant Religion be meant that Protestant Religion which is now established so far as ought can be said to be established in the Church of England as that must be meant or otherwise we know not what the true Protestant Religion is and so cannot take this oath in judgement it hath been found by lamentable experience that the true Protestant Religion hath been more invaded impugned and blasphemed by the forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament and their assistants and adherents in those parts where they have had the power then ever it was since Queene Maries dayes witnesse the many uncivill unhumane unchristian attempts assaults and outrages that have been committed by Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries upon our established Doctrine upon our established worship and service of God upon Gods holy Ordinances and upon those sacred places wherein all these were wont to meet and present themselves to us in such beauty and excellencie to our unspeakable benefit and comfort I must not forget how the most pious painfull and orthodoxall Protestant Divines they that in former times when the Protestant Religion suffered most by another faction bare the heat and burden of the opposition and stood in the gap against Arminianisme and other innovations have been since the raising of forces by the Parliament and by the power thereof abused imprisoned and cruelly handled when others that then deserted their stations have been magnified and extolled nay when drunken debauched innovating drones that have contributed towards the maintenance of the Parliaments forces have been connived at and favoured and if by chance apprehended speedily dismissed and set at liberty He must have a strong faith and a stretching conscience that can beleeve in his conscience that these are markes or signes of defending the true Protestant Religion If this be their defending of it God send us our old Defendor thereof once againe restablished in His Throne and let these new defenders defend themselves Secondly the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament did no longer since then in March last declare and publish to the world in that Ordinance of theirs for the speedy raising and leavying of money for the maintainance of the Army raised by the Parliament that the only Causes for which they had raised and did then continue an Army and Forces were first for the necessary defence of themselves which may be somewhat more easily believed then for their just defence Seconly for the necessary defence of this Kingdome from forraigne invasions a defence not now mentioned And thirdly for the bringing of notorious offenders to condigne punishment a thing also as was before hinted altogether forgotten in this new oath And if the Lords and Commons themselves have so lately declared and acknowleded that these were the only causes for which they raised and then continued their army and forces they have no cause to take offence at any that shall not believe that the same forces were raised and continued for the defence of the true Protestant Religion I praise God I have no such Moon-faith 4. Quar. How can any man sweare in truth That he doth in his conscience believe that the forces raised by the two Houses are raised and continued for the defence of the liberties of the Subject when by the raising and continuing of these Forces first the liberty of enjoying their owne goods chattells or lands Secondly the liberty of their trading and traffiquing Thirdly the liberty of their persons Fourthly the liberty their consciences towards God their King and their fellow-brethren Fifthly the liberty of their very lives is dayly and hourely either taken or endeavoured to be taken from the best of Subjects and all these contrary to the liberty of the established knowne Lawes of this Land Indeed to Bankrupts and Spendthrifts to Rogues Theeves Murtherers and such like there is such politick liberty of spoyling robbing plundering and killing yeelded to Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries such Ecclesiasticall liberty of Conventicle prating and printing permitted and to all sorts of factious seditious rebellious Miscreants such liberty of lying rayling and blaspheming indulged as the like was never heard of much lesse tollerated and countenanced in any Christian Common-wealth And though we had such faith as that we could beleeve that the forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament were raised for the defence of
for the subversion of the true Protestant Religion and the Liberty of the Subject And that in pursuance thereof c. This is the first Credendum set foorth to usher in our Jurandum this we must believe therefore thus and thus we must sweare But why must we believe this because the Lords and Common have Declared it I ow the Lords and Commons my obedience in a subordinate way next and immediatly under my King but I do not yet know that I owe them my Faith in that supreme way as to believe whatsoever they declare Nay I know the contrary and therfore I will be bold to examine the truth of this credendum so far as I am able before I give up my faith unto it That there hath been in this Kingdome a Popish and trayterous plot for the subversion of the true Protestant Reformed Religion is recorded to us and to our posterities with an Act of Parliament for an Anniversary commemoration of our deliverance from the same And I doubt not but there have beene many other plots since to the same purpose by the same faction though God of his mercy hath disappointed them ere they came to any visible maturity Neither will I altogether free the late potent Faction from intending some such mischiefe Nay further I am not very slow of heart to beleeve that there is now at this present in this Kingdome a traiterous plot for the same purpose which may as well be called a Popish as an Anabaptisticall Brownisticall or Separatisticall plot the Papists as well as the Anabaptists Brownists and other Separatists contriving and contributing what they can thereunto and all meeting and consenting in the same positions and doctrines for the effecting thereof For what Luther said of the Anabaptists and Papists we find by wofull experience true of them all Fratres sunt caudis conjuncta sunt vulpes sed capitibus diversa singunt sese foris magnos hostes esse cum tamen intus vere idem sentiant deceant ac defendant they are all brethren and they are crafty foxes linked together by the tales though their heads looke divers waies they outwardly feigne themselves to be great enemies each to other but inwardly they doe verily think teach and maintaine one and the same thing And all these though they pretend too much the liberty of the Subject yet the truth iâ— they intend only to inlarge their owne liberty and licentiousnesse and to destroy the just liberty and property as well as the duty and loyalty of all Subjects whatsoever Thus farre it is no difficult matter to beleeve that there hath been and now is a plot for the subversion of the true reformed Protestant Religion and the liberty of the Subject and to the lawfull defence of the same thus plotted against I conceive my selfe already sufficiently bound not only by my duty as I am a Protestant and a Subject but also by my late Oath or Protestation as I am thereby a new sworne Protestant and Subject And therefore if that be the true cause why I should take an oath I have very lately for the same cause already taken one and I humbly conceive that having made the former oath so lately for their satisfaction who require this they ought to rest satisfied with the former without urging any other it being a ruled case in Law Date jurejarundâ— non aliud quaritur quam an juratum sit remissa quastiom an debentur quast fatis probatum sit jurejurandâ— when once an oath is given no further question is to be made then whether the oath be taken or not all other questions of the proofe of what is controverted are to be remitted as being proved sufficiently by the very making oath thereof and you well know what the Apostles rule in that case is Heb. 6.16 an oath for confirmation is at least ought to be to them to those who require the oath an end of all strife And the multiplying of oaths is perillous as well to the imposers as to the takers But to goe on with the first reason That in pursuance of such oâ— such a Popish plot c. a Popish army hath been raised and is now on foot in divers parts of this Kingdome here my faith so staggers that I cannot possibly keep it up to this assertion and that for these Reasons First because that an Army cannot truly be called a Popish Army wherein not five of an hundred are Papists unlesse we take Papists in that latitude as to involve all those that imbrace adhere to and maintain the established Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England And if five of an hundred in an Army being Papists may give the name of Popish to that Army what name can we thinke of for that Army wherein there are besides Papists Anabaptists Brownists Familists and other Sectaries an hundred for five true Reformed Protestants T is not denied but that there are now in the Kings Army too many that are Papists and yet there are no more Papists in that army then ought to be there for being Subjects as well as Papists they are bound both by the Lawes of God and of this Nation to assist their King in his warres both against forreign enemies and against native rebels and usurpers and the King is bound to protect them against spoile rapine and other oppression aswell as his other Subjects It is I solemnly professe a sore greefee to my soul and so I am confident t is to all really religious Protestant souls besides that ever our King who hath beene so long and still is so eminent a Defender of the true Protestant Religion should neede the assistance of Papists to defend his Royall person honour and estate as t is a shame to our Religion it self that Papists should shew their Loyalty and Allegiance to their King in such a defence when so many that would be reputed the onely true Protestants either take up or maintaine the taking up armes against him This scandall to the Protestant Religion would scarce ever bee wiped of were there not blessed bee God for it forty Protestants to one Papist that cheerefully and valiantly assist the King in these present warres with their lives and estates Secondly if the army raised by his Majesty and now on foot in divers parts of this Kingdome bee a popish army it were worth the knowing when it became so or when at least it became to be so reputed For that magnanimous and royall army which hath ever attended his sacred person I find severall Declarations of both Houses of Parliament wherein they who levied those forces and they that were levied have beene called ill affected persons Cavaleers Delinquents Malignants and the like but scarce the name of Papists was for a long time mentioned in any of them Since that I finde Papists a Jesuiticall faction prelaticall Clergy and discontented persons added to the former and all called Assistants in and to the Forces prepared but as yet
attainted of open deed by people of their condition I believe when the established Law of this Land comes to be in force againe it will puzzle all the Lawyers of this Kingdome to assoile us of that guilt by the subtillest interpretations they can invent And truly I doe not yet value eyther soule or body at so low a rate as to venture eyther upon such an hazard But suppose that it should not be found high treason yet I have another Quaere to put concerning this oath that will make many looke before they leap into it lest they thereby leap out of a great part of their estates and that is this 6. Quar. Whether the taking this part of this oath and practising accordingly do not expose as many as have Offices Fees Annuities Honours Lordships Castles Mannors Lands Tenements and other possessions and hereditaments of the Kings gifts and grants which are throughout this Kingdome a considerable number to an inavoydable forfeiture thereof whenas by those two statutes viz. 11. Hen. 7. cap. 18. 19. Hen. 7. cap. 1. it is enacted That every person or persons within the Realme of England or Wales that have any such offices fees annuities c. and doth not in person attend upon the King being in person in warres against his enemies and rebells within the same Realme or without for repressing and subduing of them and their mischievovs purpose shall forfeit all his offices fees annuities c and that all the Kings gifts grants and letters patents wherby they enjoy them shall be utterly annulled void of none effect and at the Kings pleasure unlesse it be such as have speciall licence under the Kings signe manuall or signet or else have such unseigned sickenesse letting or disease that he may not in his person come to doe that attendance The same Statutes as they require such attendance upon the Kings person in his warres more especially from such men as have any promotion from the King so they declare also that every Subject by the duty of his Allegiance is bounden to serve and assist his Prince and sovereigne Lord at all seasons when need shall require and what he shall be adjudged worthy to forfeit or suffer that shall fail of that duty any knowing Lawyer will soon informe you 7. Quaer How can any man sweare in Righteousnesse that he will assist the forces raised and continued by both Houses of Parliament against the forces raised by the King when by the Lawes of the Land it is enacted that no manner of person or persons whatsoever he or they be that attend upon the King and sovereigne Lord of this Land for the time being in his person c. or be in other places by his commandment in his warres within this Land or without shall for the same be either convict or attaint of high Treason or any other offences either by act of Parliament or otherwise by any processe of Law whereby to suffer any losse or damage but for that deed and service to be utterly discharged for any vexation trouble or losse and if any act or acts or other processe after the time of that act shall happen to be made contrary to that act that then that act or acts or other processe of the Law whatsoever shall stand and be utterly void 11. Hen. 7. cap. 1. It is no wonder then if in this new covenant when we swear to assist the forces raised and continued by the two Houses of Parliament against the forces raised by the King that necessary restriction or limitation so carefully inserted in the late Protestation viz. As far as lawfully I may be here in this oath wholy omitted when as the established Laws of the Land are in so many things so fully contrary to all such assistance that if we had sworne only to assist the Parliaments forces against the Kings forces as farre as lawfully we may we had sworne not to assist them at all but to our utmost to resist and represse them And whereas t is further intimated in this part of this oath and in that which followeth by way of aggravation against the Kings forces that they were raised without the consent of both Houses of Parliament I would willingly bend an eare either to Priâ— himselfe that great pretender to Law and Parliaments though a Traitor to both as well as to his King or to any other that shall please to tell me of any one act of Parliament of any other established Law of this Land that doth allow the two Houses of Parliament in any case whatsoever to raise any forces without the consent of the King much lesse against the Kings consent and against the Kings forces or which is a bold chalenge of one that is no Lawyer that doth expresly binde the King in no case whatsoever no not for His owne safety and preservation nor for the safety and preservation of His Kingdome of the true Religion of the Lawes of the Land and liberties of the Subject c. to raise any forces without the consent of the two Houses of Parliament And if in any case the King may raise forces without the consent of the two Houses of Parliament then surely much more in the present case when not only all possibility of consent from the two Houses was impossibilitated but the two Houses themselves had actually raised forces without the Kings consent and had seised upon the Kings Castles and Armes and held them against Him But I have stayed too long amongst Acts and Statutes the proper Authenticks of Lawyers I returne to the Divine of whom I desire to favour most and with his leave and likeing I passe to the next clause of the oath and that is yet more desperate if more desperate can be for having sworne only in this last clause That we will according to our power c. assist the publick open forces raised and continued by the two Houses of Parliament against the forces raised by the King we are required in the next clause to sweare That we will according to our power also assist all private and close conspirators in whatsoever they shall attempt or doe either against the Kings forces or against the King Himselfe His Queen the Prince or any other so that what they attempt or doe be but for the advantage of both Houses and their forces now on foot the words import no lesse he that runs may read it And will likewise assist all other persons that shall take this oath in what they shall doe in pursuance thereof c. This is a hard saying who can beare it nay that is too too gentle a saying for it This is a most terrible saying what Christian but will tremble at it For first What if the Turke Pope or Spaniard shall by their agents or instruments do ought in the pursuance of this businesse as I verily beleeve some of them have done too much if those agents or instruments will but take this oath as
or State or any member thereof that it may be prevented Or whether the obligation of this oath be not restrained only to the discovery of designes against the two Houses of Parliament and especially against those Members of each House against whom the late discovered designe is said to be intended And I would you durst resolve me freely and fully whether this particular oath be not such a designe as every man that knowes of the contriving thereof be not bound in conscience to discover what he can of it to the preventing of the ruining of so many thousand poor souls as are like to be hazarded therby But to come to the main things aimed at in the imposing this oath those indeed unto which all the preceding parts of the oath are but a preparative and have been themselves prepared in a readinesse and resolved upon by some to be gotten confirmed by an oath long before the forenamed wicked and treacherous designe now made so advantagious to set of this oath withall was ever heard of insomuch that many sober judicious men doe verily suspect that rather that designe is declared to be so wicked treacherous horrid and detestable to draw on the taking the following part of this oath then that any part of this oath much lesse the whole oath it selfe was resolved upon as occasioned by the wickednesse treachery horridnesse and detestablenesse of that design as some would perswade us We are required in the fourth place to sweare or declare in the presence of Almighty God That We doe in our consciences believe that the forces raysed by the two Houses of Parliament are raysed and continued for their just defence and for the defence of the true Protestant Religion and Liberties of the Subject against the forces raysed by the King Where I intreat satisfaction in these Quaeres 1. Quaer Why is the defence of the King heere left quite out when as it hath beene so often professed and declared by the Lords and Commons in their severall Declarations and Ordinances that they raysed their forces for his defence in the first place It seemes they are afraid to sweare that though they have often and often declared it and why then should we make their declarations so firme a ground of our faith as thereupon to sweare that we do in our consciences believe that the forces raysed by them were raysed and are continued for such and such ends when they themselves will not sweare that they were raysed for that end which they have so many times declared 2. Quaer How dare any man sweare or declare in the presence of Almighty God c. that he doth in his conscience believe that the forces raysed by the two Houses of Parliament are raysed and continued for their just defence when the King hath made them so many gracious overtures of peace and they have refused them as appeares by sundry Messages and Declarations with the Answers and Replies that have passed betwixt them nay when the King hath woed and intreated them with such sweetnes of temper and lownes of condescension as never any Prince used towards Subjects that they would both name the persons and appoint the place for a Treaty betwixt him and them for setling the peace of the Kingdome and ending and quieting all differences betweene them yet still his offers have beene utterly rejected unlesse he would first take downe his Standard and call in what Proclamations and Declarations he had made against some of the Members of both Houses and their proceedings both which his Majesty yeelded to do so that they would revoke their Declarations against all persons that assisted him as also leave his forces and withdraw his protection both from such persons as were by both Houses voted Delinquents and from all such as should afterwards bee so voted as you may see more at large in his Majesties gracious Message to both Houses of Parliament sent from Nottingham August 25. 1642. The Answer of the Lords and Commons to that Message His Majesties reply to that answer Their answer and their Declaration to that reply and the former Message And can it be beleeved that the defensive part of this war be it just or unjust was on their side when the King was thus the offerer and suer for peace and they the refusers requiring Him to yeeld to those things which could not possibly stand with His owne Honour and Safety or with the safety of those that are His most faithfull and loyall Subjects called to His assistance by His Summons and their Allegiance Or can that be believed to be a defensive War much lesse a War for a just defence when many of the forces raised by them were raised and the Kings Goods Armes Townes Shipping and whole Militia were taken from Him and made use of and held against him before any the least warlike offence was offered them by any Forces raised by the King as hath been sufficiently cleared both by His Majesties Declarations and upon our sad and chargeable experience Besides we were told from severall Pulpits about the time of the first Proposi ions for Horse Plate or Money June 10. 1642. and often times since that the Forces then in raising and since raised by the Parliament were to fetch the King from His evill Counsellours and to remove them from Him and this was afterwards againe promised to have been done within such and such a time if we would contribute but the other odde forty or fifty thousand pounds and I assure you we beleeved it then or else we had not parted with our monyes so freely And therefore I cannot but wonder that we who at the first raising of Forces by the Parliament and some good time since did verily beleeve that those forces were raised to catch away the King from His evill Counsellours and to take away or drive away His evill Counsellours from Him promising our selves such hopes of accomplishing our desires with so much ease and speed should now sweare that we do in our consciences beleeve that the same forces were raised for the just defence of the Parliament as though the King had been then fetching them from their evill Counsellours or their evill Counsellours from them If only feares and jealousies of the Kings intention to raise and leavy warre against His Parliament were a just cause or ground for His Parliament to leavy forces against Him which to grant would be of most dangerous consequence both to King and Kingdome perhaps some might thinke that the present Parliament now assembled did feare and were jealous of some such thing and so had cause to provide such a defence but how can we be perswaded in our consciences that those feares and jealousies were just when upon the Kings first knowing that such feares and jealousies did possesse them He did not only declare the contrary but did solemnly disavow all such intentions professing before God and the World that he alwayes had and then did abhorre
belong to Him and none ought to raise any forces or exercise any other power of the sword without His consent and without expresse authority derived from Him the power of the sword being that which principally makes and maintaines the Supremacy and therefore ascribed by the Apostle to the supreme power only Rom. 13.4 He beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill and to grant the Parliament a just power of raising forces without the Kings consent much more to grant them power of raising Arms contrary to His Proclamation and other expresse Commands and they against the forces raised by the King is to set up two supreme Powers in one Kingdome and so two swords one against another and both to the ruine of the whole Kingdome Againe we sweare in the same oath That we would bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his Heires c. and that we would to our power assist and defend all Jurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highnesse his heirs c. or united and annexed to the Imperial Crowne of the Realm As also in the oath of Allegeance we swear That we would beare faith and Allegeance to His Majesty His Heires c. and that we would defend Him and them to the utmost of our power against all conspiracies and attempte whatsoever which should be made against his or their persons their Crowne and dignity either by reason of any Sentence or Declaration of the Pope or otherwise and that we would doe our best endeavour to disclose and make knowne unto his Majesty his Heires c. all treasons and traiterous conspiracies which we should know or heare of to be against him or any of them And lastly in our late Protestation we sweare to maintaine and defend with our lives and powers and estates according to the duty of our Allegeance His Majesties royall Person Honour and Estate and to our power and as far as lawfully we may to oppose and by all good meanes to endeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as should either by force plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary Now whether the assisting of forces raised by some of the Kings Subjects against the forces raised by the King be not expresly and fully contrary to all these particulars promised and sworn in all these oaths let any indifferent man judge as to name some contrarieties for many 1. Whether it be not usurpation or incroachment upon the Jurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences or Authority granted or belonging to the Kings Highnesse and united and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne and so flatly contrary to the oath of Supremacy 2. Whether it be not an attempt if not a conspiracy made against either the Kings Person or his Crowne and Dignity and so fully contrary to the oath of Allegeance 3. Whether it be not hazardous to the Kings person scandalous to His Honour and detrimentall to His Estate and so directly contrary to the late Protestation Lastly whether it be not a breach of that faith duty and loyall subjection which both by the bond of Allegeance and by the commandement of Almighty God as the Statute acknowledgeth 7. Jac. cap. 6 we ought to beare to His Majesty and so contrary to all three oaths and to his expresse command who is called to witnesse both in them and this For my part I appeale only to that which is most concerned and in most perill I meane the conscience of every one that hath taken the former oaths and is required to this wishing that every one that hath forgotten whether he ever tooke the oaths of Supremacy and Allegeance or not as I feare there are not a few such that he would consult with himselfe and the Statutes which enjoyne those oaths viz. 1. Elizab. cap. 1. 5. Elizab c. 1. and 3. Jacob. c. 4 7. Jacob. c. 6. the comparing of this new oath with those former oaths would occasion a multitude of Quaeres had some men the liberty of starting them I shall be bold only to point at one which in order to the preceding Quaeres upon this part of this oath makes the fourth 4. Quaer Whether the taking of a new oath and recommending and tendring it to others which is contrary to the oath of allegiance as this new oath is do not render the persons so doing guilty of the breach and liable to the penalty of that branch in that statute 3. Jacob. cap. 4. expressed in these words And further bee it enacted by the authority aforesaid That if any person or persons at any time after the tenth of June shall either upon the seas or in any other place within the Dominions of the Kings Majesty his heires or successors put in practise to absolve perswade or withdraw any of the Subjects of the Kings Majesty or of his heires or successors of this Realme of England from their naturall obedience to his Majesty his heires or successors or to reconcile them to the Pope or See of Rome or to move them or any of them to promise obedience to any pretended authority of the See of Rome or to any other Prince State or Potentate That then every such person their procurers counsellors ayders and maintainers knowing the same shall bee to all intents adjudged Traitors and being thereof lawfully convicted shall have judgement suffer and forfeyt as in cases of high Treason And if any such person as aforesaid c. shall be willingly absolved or withdrawne as aforesaid or willingly reconciled or promise obedience to any such pretended authority Prince State or Potentate as aforesaid That every such person or persons their procurers counsellors ayders and maintainers knowing the same shall be to all intents adjudged Traytors and being thereof lawfully convicted shall have judgement suffer and forfeyt as in case of high treason See the like stat 23. Eliz. cap. 1. I could wish that you would propound this Quaere privately to some honest able faithfull Lawyer and let me know his resolution it being of great and high concernment 5. Quar. Whether the swearing that we will according to our power and vocation assist the forces raysed and continued by both Houses of Parliament against the forces raysed by the King doth not swear us up to do that which will bring us within compasse of high Treason declared by that statute of 25. Edw. 3. cap. 2. wherein it is declared by the King at the request of the Lords and Commons in that Parliament assembled That it is high Treason to compasse or imagine the death of our Lord the King or of our Lady his Queene or of their eldest sonne and heire or if a man doe levy warre against our Lord the King in his Realme or be adherent to the Kings enemies in his Realme giving to them ayd and comfort in the Realme or elswhere and thereof be probably