Common-man but sets him out even in what he saies with Eminent Vertues Piety to God Fidelity to his Sovereign a publique Soul towards the Church and State Constancie to his Friend and so little biassed by private interests that this age we may assure affords not many equals He was threatned for his life in March 1619. the Prologue to other Libels and Scandals year by year to Anno 1640. though the Scotâ— Remonstrance of their Invasion heretofore resolved then to ruine him And in the beginning of the long Parliament 1640. about December He was named for an Incendiary by the Scots Commissioners and accused of Treason by the House of Commons and ten weeks Prisoner to the Black Rod and after his Charge committed to the Tower March 1. And so from that time he endured there almost four years to his death In the mean time he is denied of his Servants 1641. and close Prisoner presently after Then they divest him and sequester his Rents 1642. Seize his Goods Books and Papers 1643. and as yet the Man unmoved For he besought God as Mr. Pryn confesseth to give him full patience and proportionable comfort and contentment with whatsoever he should send And himself hath said to his Friends that he thanked God that he never found more content in his greatest Liberty then in this time of his restraint It had been put to the Question in the Parliament to ship him over for New England there to expose him to the scorne of great Professors He had been often summoned before the Lords and as often appeared monethly for some years weekly for many moneths and daily remitted to farther Attendance upon the least pretence of ordinary businesse and so was thereby exposed to the common view and scorne of the Rabble sort of people a way they had to work down excellent Spirits if possible by ignominious experiments and trials But he was fixed to the end Indeed he was a perfect School-man a quick and ready Disputant and certainly he was not to learn that Maxim of Drexelius who wonders that any man a Logician should be troubled with afflictions For the Axiome in Logick is That Accident is such a thing that adest abest sine interruptione subjecti and argues it into a Syllogisme Tu homo es subjectum Et quicquid accedere potest est nisi accidens sed afflictiones sunt nisi accidens Ergo whether they doe adesse or abesse they should be sine interruptione subjecti At the Scots second Invasion Anno 1643. his Arraignment was revived 17. Ianuary and Mr. Pryn appointed to prosecute the Charge and therefore He who had been charged heretofore and a long time it was ere they could finde that he deserved either Death of Bonds until Serjeant Wilde found out his offences That he was guilty of so many and notorious Treasons so evidently destructive to the Common-wealth that he marvelled the people did not tear him in pieces as he passed between his Boat and the Parliament Had the rabble done so it would happily have excused the other in their way afterwards alike to him who was by them made guilty in the House of Commons 20. Novem. 1643. and the 17. Decem. 1644. guilty of high Treason as to the matter of Fact upon three Heads of his Charge His endeavouring the subversion of the Lawes subversion of Religion and the overthow of the Priviledges of Parliament And the fourth of Ianuary they passed their Ordinance of Parliament by both Houses to be drawn hanged and quartered on Friday the tenth of Ianuary the first man that ever suffered death by Order of Parliament On Tuesday before he petitions the Lords to have his Chaplain Doctor Sterne that worthy Divine admitted to administer with him to alter the manner of his Execution and to be beheaded To which their Lordships willingly consented and commended it to the Commons but they would not Only in care of his soul they would adjoyn Mr. Marshall as more sufficient then the Doctor and the Arch-Bishop refused him The Lords were angry to be thus denied and had much adoe to get their consent of beheading He had been a Confessor and must think it a release of misery to be made a Martyr and to be executed six dayes after That time he spent in Meditation and Prayers but the night before the Dismal day he refreshed his Spirits with a moderate Supper slept soundly till morning then at Prayer till Pennington and his Officers conducted him to the Scaffold on Tower-hill mounting that Throne whereon he was to receive the Crown of Martyrdom Then he spake to those about him Good People THis is an uncomfortable time to Preach yet I shall begin with a Text of Scripture Heb. 12. 2. Let us runne with Patience that race which is set before us looking unto JESUS the Authour and Finisher of our Faith who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God I have been long in my Race and how I have looked to JESUS the Author and Finisher of my Faith He best knowes I am now come to the end of my Race and here I finde the Crosse a death of shame but the shame must be despised or no coming to the right hand of God JESUS despised the shame for me and God forbid but I should despise the shame for Him I am going apace you see toward the Red-sea and my feet are now upon the very brink of it an Argument I hope that God is bringing me to the Land of Promise for that was the way through which he led his People But before they came to it He instituted a Passeover for them a Lamb it was it must be eaten with sower Herbs I shall obey and labour to digest the sower Herbs as well as the Lamb For I shall remember it is the Lords Passeover I shall not think of the Herbs nor be angry with the hand that gathereth them but look up only to Him which instituted that and governes these for men can have no more power over me then what is given them from above I am not in love with this passage through the Red-sea for I have the weaknesse and infirmities of flesh and blood in me And I have prayed as my Saviour taught me ut transiret Calix iste that this Cup of Red-wine might passe from me But if not Gods will not mine be done and I shall most willingly drink of this Cup as deep as He pleases and enter into this Sea yea and pass through it in the way that he shall lead me But I would have it remembred good people that when Gods Servants were in this boysterous Sea and Aaron among them the Egyptians which persecuted them and in a manner drove them into the Sea were drowned in the same waters while they were in pursuit of them I know my God whom I serve is as able to deliver me from
third appointed this form To be chosen by six Princes of Germany Three Ecclesiastical Arch-Bishops Moguntia Colen and Trevine Three Temporal the Duke of Saxonie the Count Palatine of the Rhene and the Marquesse of Brandenburgh and when those six voyces should happen equally divided that then the Duke of Bohemia before it was a Kingdom should determine the Election this was approved by all the Germain Princes and other Christian Princes and Estates of this world And the manner and conditions are these After his Election he is called onely Caesar and the King of the Romanes and not Emperour till he be Crowned and takes his Oath presently after his Election To defend the Catholick Religion and Pope of Rome To minister Iustice to keep the Lawes of the Empire c. and so is anointed and with some prayers upon him a drawn sword put in his hand a Ring on his finger a scepter in his other hand and three Bishops set the Crown Emperiall upon his Head Then all the Princes take Oath to him In Polonie after the same manner In Spain of late the Kings are not Crowned but have another admission equal and performed by the Arch-Bishop of Toledo Primate of Spain In France they have some alterations from their ancient manner by Lewis le Ieune who ordained the 12. Peers of France Six Ecclesiastical and six Temporal The Arch-Bishop and Duke of Rhemes anointeth and Crowneth the King The Bishop and Duke of Lava bears the Glasse of sacred Oyl The Bishop and Duke of Lanques the Cross. The Bishop and Earl of Beauvais the Mantle Royal. The Bishop and Earl of Koyon the Girdle The Bishop and Earl of Chaalons the Ring The Duke of Burgundy Dean of the Order holds the Crown The Earl of Gasconie and Guiennie the first Banner quartered The Duke of Normandy the second Banner quartered The Earl of Tholosa the Golden spurs The Earl of Campain the Banner Royal or Standard of War The Earl of Flanders the sword Royall And this day the King is severally apparelled three times First as a Priest Secondly a King and Warriour Thirdly as a Iudge He takes his Oath by the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes to the Church and to the people c. and so vested with the Mantle Girdle Ring Ointment and Crown with declaration what each signified And though this Ceremonie of sacring and Anointing Kings be more ancient than the Christian Kingdom of France yet is it the most ancient for particular Majestique manner and most of the Neighbour Kingdoms have affinity from her especially in England being the very same in effect The sacredness of the Hebrew Kings depended much upon their being anointed Anointing added a divine Majesty to their Kings and made them sacred and allied unto God exercising power and authority over things divine the virtue of the sacred Ointment being communicated to them formerly compounded by Moses of Aromatick ingredients and was yet for Initiation and Consecration till Iosiah hid it under ground in the Temple in the same secret place where the Ark of the Covenant Aarons rod Urim and Thummim and the Manna were laid up in preservation against the overthrow of the Temple by the Assyrians as had been prophecied and so lost to posterity in time of their Babylonish Captivity And therefore the King resolves on the day 2. February which is censured For a vanity though serious and the wisest Monarchs are very idle in it as not conferring one dram of solid grandure to the Throne and yet he acknowledgeth that as the King enters recognizance and stipulateth with the people to govern by Law so they acclaim him their King And is all this but vanity Though the Scriptures also exemplifies it in the Iews their first King Saul after the manner of all Nations and after him David Solomon Iehoash The Highâ— Priest anointing him with solemnities as you may see of Gods own appointing and the Ceremony to our Saviour when the Iews crowned him was no doubt in imitation of other Kings and may be a pattern for Christians But the day come which began his solemnitie conveyed him by water from White-Hall to Westminster not in usual state through the streets from the Tower the onely reason the dregs of the Infection not clearing the danger of such concourse of people which is put upon his frugality to save money And though it belonged to the Dean of Westminster Bishop of Lincoln to officiate some chief parts of the Celebrity yet he being under a deserved displeasure and in October last put out of his office of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England and intrusted unto Sr. Thomas Coventry who sat in Chancery two Terms before much of his duty was conferred upon Dr. Laud Bishop of St. Davids not of Bath and Wells till September after And then concerning the alteration of the Prayer The very Committee for managing the particulars of the Coronation resumed then those ancient particulars of the Prayer till Henry the sixth's time Ut obtineat gratiam huic populo c. like Aaron in the Tabernacle Elisha in the waters Zacharias in the Temple Sit Petrus in Clave Paulus in dogmate and were suitors to the King not to suffer the Dean to that duty and had this answer Who was not worthy to keep the seal lesse deserving to Minister now to his Soveraign Nor was he admitted to the next Parliament nor had summons by Writ so no Proxy to appoint a suffrage though it is said and evilly mentioned by an Historian That the Dukes Mother intruded who loved the Bishop if fame belies her not better then was fitting But this scandal I have answered sufficiently See the Life and Death of King Iames. And his own letters will discover the truth dated the seventh of Ianuary 1625. to the Duke and signed Iohn Lincoln so then he was not Chanceller and saies that he is come to do service for the preparation to the Coronation c. and craves of the Duke to receive a creature of your own struck dead with displeasure and by him to be brought to kiss the Kings hands And another Letter to the King complains that he hath not received his Writ of summons unto the Parliament that he might make his Proxie c. Nor can he go into the County as he had done long since but in expectation of this Writ and that in his absence in this Parliament no use may be made of the Kings Name to wound the reputation of a poor Bishop Cabala 107 108. and so our other Historians are mistaken in this And the manner of his Delivery of the Seal was thus Sir Iohn Suckling was sent from the King to demand it but charily he locked it up in a Cabinet and sent it and the Key by the Knight inclosed in a Letter to the King and so was outed of the Seal but kept his Bishoprick of Lincoln and the Deanary of Westminster which indeed he had for his life and after
Minister of Edenburgh her special Favourite would with a counterfeâ—t love and tears in his Pulpit recount to the People the joy and comfort of such a Messenger from Heaven She spake like the Oracles forsooth but seldom as to learn instructions the while and then to exercise her heavenly gifts as they stiled her diaboâ—â—cal prating and which Rollock would interpret that his Master speaking in her they ought with reverence not to interrupt she being transported he said with supernatural Raptures calling Christ Covenanting Iesus that it was approved and ratified in Heaven but all the Kings Covenants Declarations were Inventions of Satan But her Speeches were averred by the Covenanters and admired by the People with as much veneration as their Pulpit dictates Put all together their rebellious behaviours contempts of the King and his Commissioner and Councils intervening his gracious Proclamations and Declarations with their carriage concerning this Assembly and practices herein All amounting to a resolved Insurrection and over-turning the Frame and Government of Church and State which being made apparant also to the King he commanded his Commissioner to discharge their Assembly The Commissioner told them That perhaps he might have continued a little longer had they not fallen upon Points inforcing his Deserting being about to settle the pretended lawfulness of this Iudicatory and the competency of it against the Bishops illegally cited and so prosecuted which he may not allow with his duty towards God or his loyalty to the King And so giving in a Paper signed by himself expressing in particular the Kings grace and favour to them during his being there his Majesties Commissioner And â—eciting also their undue practices in reference to their Elections to this Assembly and their proceedings there not to be free He therefore in the Kings Name commanded and required them not to proceed any further in this Assembly Somewhat the moderate said in defence of their Proceedings and somewhat more the Lords were about to speak in vindication of themselves but the Commissioner choaked their confidence producing two Papers containing their secret Instructions without the knowledg of their Tables directly plotting for their illegal proceedings and conclude that the ablest Man in each Prebytery be provided to dispute de potestate supremi Magistratus in Ecclesiasticis praesertim in convocandis Conciliis de senioribus de Episcopatu de Iuramento de Liturgia corruptelis ejudem But how lamely these were performed the Acts and Passages are evident too tedious to be inserted And so the next Day was proclaimed the Dissolving that Assembly Novemb. 29. 14 Car 1638. Against which the Covenanters protested at the same time that it was lawfull for them to continue their Assembly and to adhere to their former Protestations and accordingly declared six former General Assemblies to be held which were disserviceable for their interests though formerly confirmed by Parliaments then they deprived all the Bishops excommunicate some and soon after abolish Episcapacy as inconsistent with the Rites of their Kirk In an hour condemn all the Arminian Tenets as they called them and under that notion many things received of the Reformed Churches without defining what either of them were And the Commissioner no sooner got into England but the Covenanters began to levy Souldiers impose Taxes raise Fortifications seize or block up the Kings Castles and in a word to form a War with the best force they can having had time enough by the Commissioners palpable Protractions to enable them to be before hand with the King in his Preparations The first publick Appearance since 1589. that the Presbyters durst appear in opposition though we may be well assured they have been tampering to a Rebellion from that time as you may reade at the full in the History of the Reigns of Mary Queen of Scotland and King Iames with the Rise and Growth of the Geneva Discipline This News came but now that betwixt the Ferera Islands in the Ocean in the height of eight and thirty Degrees and an half North Latitude there is a site of Water called Feraria distant two Leagues from the Isle of Saint Michael on the third of Iuly 1638. from the bottom of that Sea an hundred and fifty Fathoms deep there arose with an horrible noise a space of Earth half an Acre with a vehement force of an impetuous fire against which the Sea could not make resistance disgorging into the air the heigth of three Pikes length both water and stones with an hideous clattering noise the broken pieces thereof being carried into the neighbour Island and taken up mouldred into black Ashes all the circuit of the water thereabout covered with the same sulpherous matter appeared like black Cinders and became of an Aliment continually burning and by the multitude of stones mixing it became a new Island which is increased to a League and an half in length and sixty Fathoms high continually burning for ten days choaking all the Fish within eight Leagues which were cast up by the force of the Sea upon the Coasts of the neighbour Islands in number sufficient to lade many Ships and were buried from infecting the air The Sea round about boiling up the smoak and rubbish in the air The Sea round about boiling up the smoak and rubbish in the air darkened the light of the Sun There preceded this Fire an Earthquake for eight days the Inhabitants of the neighbour Islands fled into the Fields from the danger and had not the Winde blown the Fire from the Islands it might have endangered their Habitations into another Cineration which happened eight years there before The last day of October brought the Queen Mother of France Mary de Medices to London and so to Saint Iames's she had been a busie Governess in her Sons minority not without dangerous Designs the ruine of France by her Favourite d' Ancre after his Assasination she wained by the growth of the young King and his politick Richelieu too subtil for her and the impetuous banding and combining with Monsieur Duke of Orleans whom she loved dearer than his Brother but her Adversary often prevailing she was lead about in the Kings Army as a Priâ—oner but suffered to fly away into other places for succour which she did first to their Enemy at Bruxels Anno 1631. to the Cardinal d' Infanto honourably treated till her unquiet spirit ever plotting moved the People to pursue her with Cursings and Imprecations politickly made so to be rid of their trouble which she carried along with her to the Pr. of Orange 1637. and thence invited hither by our Queen her Daughter at the beginning of our Ingagement into all the misery that succeeded wherein she was said to be ominous where ere she came For now the Scots having got the start of the King he prepares himself for an Army with all possible expedition first with his Peoples affections and so with their Prayers To that end he
the Sea of blood as he was to deliver the three Children from the Furnace and I most humbly thank my Saviour for it my Resolution is now as theirs was then They would not worship the Image the King had set up nor I the Imaginations which the people are setting up I will not forsake the Temple and truth of God to follow the bleating of Jeroboams Calf in Dan or in Bethel As for this People they are at this day miserably mis-led God of his mercy open their eyes that they may see the right way for now the Blinde do lead the Blindâ— and if they go on both will certainly fall into the ditch For my self I am and I acknowledg it in all humility a most grievous sinner many wayes by thought word and deed and I cannot doubt but God hath mercy in store for me a poor penitent as well as for other sinners I have now upon this sad occasion ransacked every corner of my Heart and yet I thank God I have not found among the many any one sin which deserves death by any known Law of this Kingdom And yet hereby I charge nothing upon my Iudges for if they proceed upon proof by valuable witnesses I or any other Innocent may be justly condemned but I thank God though the weight of the sentence lyes heavy upon me I am as quiet within as ever I was in my life And though I am not only the first Arch-bishop but the first man that ever died by an Ordinance of Parliament yet some of my Predecessors have gone this way though not by this meanes For Elphegus was burried away and lost his head by the Danes Symon Sudbury was beheaded in the fury of Wat Tyler and his fellows and long before these St. John Baptist had his head danced off by a lewd woman And St. Cyprian Arch-bishop of Carthage submitted his head to the persecuting sword Many examples great and good and they teach me patience for I hope my Cause in heaven will look of an other dye then the colour which is put upon it here And some comfort it is to me not only that I go the way of these great men in their several generations but also that my Charge as foul as it is made looks like that of the Jewes against St. Paul Acts 25. For he was accused for the Law and the Temple that is the Law and Religion And like that of St. Stephen Acts 6. for breaking the Ordinances which Moses gave that is Law and Religion the holy place and the Law verse 13. But you 'l say do I compare my self with the integrity of St Paul and St. Stephen No far be it from me I only raise a Comfort to my self that these great Saints and Servants of God were laid at in their several times as I am now And it is memorable that St. Paul who helped on the Accusation against St. Stephen did after fall under the very same Accusation himself Yea but here 's a great Clamour that I would have brought in Popery I shall answer that more fully by and by In the mean time you know what the Pharisees said against Christ himself If we let him alone all men wâ—ll believe in him Et venient Romani and the Romans will come and take away both our place and Nation Here was a Causelesse Cry against Christ that the Romans would come And see how just the judgment of God was they Crucified Christ for fâ—ar the Romans should come and his death was it which brought in the Romans upon them God punishing them with that they most feared and I pray God that this Clamour of Venient Romani of which I have given no cause help not to bring them in for the Pope never had such a Harvest in England since the Reformation as he hath now upon the Sects and Divisions that are amongst us In the mean time by Honour and dishonour by good report and evil report as a deceiver and yet true am I passing through this world 2 Cor. 6. 8. Some other particulars I think not amisse to speak of And first for His Sacred Majesty the King our gracious Soveraigne He also hath been much traduced for bringing in of Popery but on my Conscience of which I shall give God a very present accompt I know him to be as free from this Charge as any man living and I hold him to be as sound a Protestant according to the Religion by Law established as any man in this Kingdom And that He will venture His Life as far and as freely for it and I think I do or should know both His affection to Religion and His grounds for it as fully as any man in England The second particular is concerning this great and Populous City which God bless Here hath been of late a fashion taken up to gather hands and then go to the great Court the Parliament and clamour for Iustice as if that great and wise Court before whom the Causes come which are unknown to the many could not or would not do Iustice but at their appointment A way which may endanger many an Innocent man and pluck his blood upon their own heades and perhaps upon this City also and this hath been lately practised against my self the Magistrates standing still and suffering them openly to proceed from Parish to Parish without Check God forgive the abetters of this with all my heart I beg it but many well meaning people are caught by it In St. Stephen's case when nothing else could serve they stirred up the people against him and when Herod had killed St. James he would not venture on St. Peter till he found how the other pleased the people But beware you that cry so much for Justice lest when you cry for your selves you have nothing but Justice take heed take heed of having your hands full of blood for there is a time best known to Himself when God above other sins makes inquisition for blood and when that inquisition is on foot he Psalmist tels us That God remembers that 's not all He Remembers and forgets not the complaint of the poor that is him whose blood is shed by oppression verse 9. take heed of this It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God but then especially when he is making inquisition for blood And with my praiers to avert it I do heartily desire this City to remember the prophesie that is expressed Jer. 26. 15. The third Particular is the poor Church of England It hath flourisheâ— and been a shelter to other neighbouring Churches when storms have driven â—pon them But alas now 't is in a storm it self and God only knowes whether or how it shall get out and which is worse then a storm from without it 's become like an Oaâ— cleft to shivers with wedges made out of its own body and at every cleft Prophaness and Irreligion are entering in while as