accused her to be a Witch and the Author of all his misery This old woman is sent to the Bishops Chancellor at Lichfield to be examined the Boy is brought thither to confront her and having his back towards her at her coming into the Room where the Chancellor was before she yet entred or appeared he falls into a most bitter Agony crying out Now she comes now my Tormentor comes wreathing and tearing himself in so horrid a manner that it did not only breed amazement but pity in the Spectators there being many with expectation attending the issue Which with some other probabilities were an inducement to the Chancellor to send the woman to Stafford Goal At the next Assizes for that County the Boy and his Parents appear as Witnesses against the Witch the Boy was placed in a conspicuous part of the Court with his face to the Bench eying the Judg continually in a very peaceable and quiet posture and as the woman was coming in when the Court thought it impossible the Boy should be sensible of her appearance he fell into a more raging fit than ever he was possest with before So stupendiously unnatural that it was deemed by all that saw it that nothing but a Diabolical Spirit could work such horrid effects This thus openly acted and the Relation of what was done at Lichfield and other probabilities evidencing the old woman that had no good Reputation among her Neighbours being of a tetrical and froward temper incident to old age found few Friends to plead her Cause so that being indicted for Witchcraft she was found guilty by the Iury and Condemned to die Doctor Morton Bishop of that Diocess a great Father of the Anglicane Church and happily then on the Bench about Secular Affairs hearing that some Romish Priests had been tampering with their Exorcisms to the undevilling of the Boy and finding little reason produced why or for what cause the Witch should use the Child so ill was perswaded this might be some jugling trick in them for effecting their miraculous ends He therefore besought the Iudg to reprieve the woman till the next Assizes and he would take the Boy home with him have him carefully and strictly looked to and doubted not before than time to find out the Bottom of some secret and hidden â—â—â—rivance The Iudg assented to the Bishop's request and so the Boy was carried to Eccleshal Castle the Bishops House whither his fits followed him with a great deal of violence For being put out of his râ—ad having formerly all sorts of people come to admire him and now being more carefully looked to he grew sâ—llen and would not eat sometimes in two or three days so that his belly was almost clung and grown to his back and he had a new swelling about his throat which never appeared before lay in his Bed sometimes as it were senseless sometimes stâ—ring with his eyes and foaming at the mouth sometimes striking those that stood near him his own careful mother being one whom he made all black about the arms and breasts never spoke but in his fits and then a strange gibbrish at other 〈◊〉 he only muttered and made signs The Bishop visited him often striving sometimes to soften him with gentleness at other times he handled him roughly with objurgations and threatnings but his ill Spirit is capable of neither He spoke to him one time some of the Greek Testament to see how that would work and it brought him into his fit At another time he uttered some Verses out of the Greek Poets which his Devil was not so learned as to distinguish for that put him into a fit again so that the Bishop was confirmed that he was an Impostor of a most pernicious and pernicious Spirit but how to Conjure it out of him was the difficulty And finding words and menaces made no impression in him he fell to blows for taking him out of his Bed and having one to hold him the Bishop gave him six very smart lashes with a Rod which moved the Boy no more than if he had been an insensible stock They also thrust needles into his toes and fingers betwixt the nails clapt burning candles to his eye-lids till they sing ed the hair off to divert him when he was in his fits but with all their persecutions he neither winch'd nor stirred so that the Actors were more troubled to execute than he to suffer And in this condition growing almost desperate he would make signs for knives or any other instrument to do himself a mischief therefore strict care was taken and many watchful eyes set over him to prevent any such danger Thus he continued almost a quarter of a year at last his Vrine grew so black that the Physicians thought Nature had left her usual operations having never found in any Human Body so much Adust matter to give so deep and deadly a tincture This struck the good Bishop very near For he was certain the Priests had been Hammering about him and now if he should miscarry under his hand those Mini-masters of mischief would in their dark shops coin such scandals against him as might pass current in the Worlds opinion therefore he used all the means he could possible as well to preserve him as to discover him But finding the Boy indure so many Trials with patience so much tough hardship and robustness in tender years he resolved if his water continued black to sitâ— the matter no further To find out which he set a trusty servant to watch him through a hole that looked into the Chamber upon the Bed which the Boy knew not of The Bishop going that morning with his Family to a Lecture all things were very still in the house and the Boy finding all quiet no noise about him he lifts himself up stares and listens and at length gets out of his Bed and in the straw or mat under it takes out an Ink-horn and makes water in the Chamber-pot through a piece of the Cotton in his hand another little piece of the Cotton he puts into his Prepuce covering it with the skin and that was for a Reserve if he should be forced to make water when company is by Thus having cunningly put himself in order he hides the Ink-horn again and returns to his Bed The man that was appointed to watch him seeing all this discovered it to the Bishop at his coming home who came to him presently and askt him how he did He according to his usual manner pointed to his water looked ghastly on it and mutter'd out his old howling tone The Bishop that meant now to deal roundly with him said Sirrah you have Ink in your bed-straw which you make use of to black your water and your knavery is found out and calling in his man he took out the Ink-horn where the Boy had hid it and the man justified that he saw him make water through the Cotton Which with the Bishops
by the Text of Scripture free both the Doctrine and the Discipline of the Church of England from the aspersions of either adversary especially where the Auditory is Suspected to be tainted with the One or the other infection 6. Lastly that the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of the Kingdom whom his Majesty hath good cause to blame for this former remissness be more wary and choice in their licensing of Preachers and revoke all Grants made to any Chancellor Official or Commissary to pass Licences in this kind And that all the Lecturers throughout the Kingdom of England a new Body severed from the ancient Clergy as being neither Parsons Vicars nor Curates be licensed henceforward in the Court of Faculties but only from a Recommendation of the Party from the Bishop of the Diocess under his hand and seal with a Fiat from the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury a Confirmation under the great Seal of England And that such as do transgress any one of these Directions be suspended by the Bishop of the Diocess or in his default by the Arch-Bishop of the Province ab officio beneficio for a Year and a Day until his Majesty by the advice of the next Convocation shall prescribe some further punishment The Directions the Archbishop recommended to his several Diocesans that they might be put in execution with caution And then may be observed that the King's affections tended to the peaceable comportment of his people that both Papist and Puritan might have a quiet being which preponderation of His puts them in Aequi-librio nay the Papist was in the prime Scale But this new thing called a Lecturer he could by no means endure unless he past through all the Briers of his several Courts to the Broad Seal which was a kind of pungent Ordeal Tryal to which he must put his Teste me ipso and then it was Orthodox so that though Lecturers were not absolutely forbidden yet the charge and trouble to come to it made the way inaccessible Preachers by an Order of Star-chamber in Heaven were first licensed with an Ite praedicate before Henry the Eighth's time and certainly they have a great Seal from thence for what they do Therefore it behoves them to take heed what they say left that Spirit they receive Directions from bind them not up But this Animosity of the King 's against Puritans was thought to be fomented by the Papists whose Agent Bishop Laud was suspected to be though in Religion he had a Motley form by himself and would never as a Priest told me plainly in Flanders bring his neck under the obedience of the Roman Yoak though he might stickle for the grandure of the Clergy And now he began to be Buckingham's Confessor as he expresseth in his own Notes and wore the Court Livery though the King had a sufficient character of him and was pleased with Asseveration to protest his incentive Spirit should be kept under that the flame should not break out by any Preferment from him But that was now forgotten and he crept so into favour that he was thought to be the Bellows that blew these Fires For the Papists used all the Artifices they could to make a breach between the King and his People that they might enter at the same for their own Ends which to accomplish they slily close with the chief ministers of State to put the King upon all his Projects and Monopolies displeasing to the people that they might the more Alienate their Affections from him Sowing their seeds of Division also betwixt Puritan and Protestant so that like the second Commandment they quite exclude the Protestant For all those were Puritans with this high-grown-Arminian-popish party that held in judgment the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches or in practice live according to the Doctrine publickly taught in the Church of England And they attribute the name of Protestant 1. To such Papists as either out of policy or by popish indulgence hold outward Communion with the Church of England 2. To such Protestants as were either tainted with or inclinable to their opinions 3. To indifferent Men who imbrace always that Religion that shall be commanded by Authority Or 4. To such Neutrals as care for no Religion but such as stands with their own liking so that they allow the Church of England the Refuse both of their Religion and Ours Then they strive to make a Division of Regians and Republicans The Regians are the great Dependents upon the Crown both in Church and State who swell up the Prerogative preaching and distilling into the King the Almightiness of his power That all that the People hath is the King 's and that it is by his mercy they have a bare empty Being And this hoisting up of the King they knew would stir up the Republicans to oppose him in his Designs by which they pinch as the King thinks his Prerogative feeding a strife betwixt Law and Prerogative whereby they escape the Dint of both and hope the fire they kindle will break out at last to consume their Adversaries That these things were acted and fomented by Papists was very probable for they were great Sticklers about the Court and Council-Table But it was too apparent that some of the Clergy to make their way the smoother to their wished end began so to adore the King that he could not be named but more reverence was done to it than to the Name of God And the Iudges in their itinerant Circuits the more to enslave the people to Obedience being to speak of the King would give him such Sacred and Oraculous Titles as if their advancement to higher places must necessarily be laid upon the foundation of the peoples debasement On the other side The well affected to Religion that knew no other inclination than the Dictates of their own Reason experiences of former times and the constant practices of the Romanists for propagating their own designs did by their writings and discourses strive to warm the King 's cold temper and put fresh spirits into his chilled veins shewing the Tyranny of the incroaching Monarchy of the House of Austria who was Rome's great Factor and how just and secure the opposing of such a growing power will be That no Sword is so sharp nor Arm 's so strong as those that are cemented with true Religion The security of Conscience grounded upon the Word of Truth being not only a Bulwark to defend but the best Engin to oppose Idolatry and Ambition Thus stood the Kingdom divided in it self But as the King strove after this Rupture betwixt him and the Parliament to settle things at home and keep his people in obedience so he was as active abroad to keep up his own Reputation For he made a full account to salve up all these miscarriages by the intended Match with Spain that his people might see he could discern further into the intrinsical matters of State than they and so make the
put by her Government to say nothing of Prince Henry but the violence of it did not work because the Operation was somewhat mitigated by the Duke's Protestation of his Innocency For the King at the next Interview saying to him Ah Stenny Stenny which was the Familiar name he alwayes used to him Wilt thou kill me The Duke struck into an Astonishment with the Expression after some little Pause collected himself and with many asseverations strove to justify his Integrity which the good King was willing enough to Believe and Buckingham finding by some discourse that Padre Macestria the Spanish Iesuit had been with the King he had then a large Theme for his Vindication turning all upon the Spanish Iesuitical Malice which proceeded from the ruins of their quashed Hopes And the King knowing Inoiosa and all that Party very bitter against Buckingham and though he did not directly accuse the Prince to be in the Conspiracy with Buckingham yet he reflected upon him for such an attempt could never have been effected without his Privity therefore out of the Bowels of good Nature he did unbelieve it and after Examinations of some Persons the Duke's Intimates and their constant denyal upon oath which they had no good Cause to confess the King was content being loth to think such an Enterprize could be fostred so neer his own Bosom to have the Brat strangled in the Womb. And he presently sent into Spain to desire Iustice of that King against the Ambassadours false Accusation which he said wounded his Son's Honour through Buckingham's side which Sir Walter Aston represented to the King of Spain for Bristol was coming over to justifie his Actions to the Parliament But the Duke of Buckinghams reputation there procured no other Satisfaction than some little check of formality for when Inoiosa was recalled home he was not lessen'd in esteem Thus was this Information waved though there might be some cause to suspect that the great intimacy and Dearness betwixt the Prince and Duke like the conjunction of two dreadful planets could not but portend the production of some very dangerous effect to the old King But the Duke's Reputation though it failed in Spain held firm footing in England for Bristol no sooner appeared but he is clapt up in the Tower Their jugling practices whereof they were Both guilty enough must not yet come to light to disturb the Proceedings in Parliament Bristol had too much of the King's Commission for what he did though he might overshoot himself in what he said which was not now to be discovered Yet the Rigor of that imprisonment would have sounded too loud if he had not had a suddain Release who finding the Duke high mounted yet in power and himself in no Degree to grapple with him was content with Submission to gain his liberty and retire himself to a Country privacy The Lords being now at leisure began to consider of that stinging petition as the King called it against Papists how necessary it was to joyn with the Commons to supplicate the King to take down the pride of their high-flying Hopes that had been long upon the Wing watching for their prey and now they are made to stoop without it And after some Conferences betwixt both Houses about it the Petition was reduced to these two Propositions and presented to the King as two Petitions We your Majestie 's most humble and loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament do in all humbleness offer unto your Sacred Majesty these two Petitions following 1. That for the more safety of your Realms and better keeping your Subjects in Obedience and other important Reasons of State your Majesty would be pleased by some such course as you shall think fit to give present Order that all the Laws be put in due execution which have been made and do stand in force against Jesuits Seminary Priests and others having taken Orders by authority derived from the See of Rome and generally against all Popish Recusants And as for disarming that it may be according to the Laws and according to former Acts and Directions of State in that Case And yet that it may appear to all the World the Favour and Clemency your Majesty useth towards all your Subjects of what Condition soever And to the intent the Jesuits and Priests now in the Realm may not pretend to be surprized that a speedy and certain may be prefixed by your Majesties Proclamation before which day they shall depart out of this Kingdom and all other your Highness Dominions and neither they nor any other to return or come hither again upon peril of the severest Penalties of the Laws now in force against them And that all your Majesties Subjects may thereby also be admonished not to receive entertain or conceal any of them upon the Penalties and Forfeitures which by the Laws may be imposed on them 2. Seeing We are thus happily delivered from that danger which those Treaties now dissolved and that use which your ill-affected Subjects made thereof would certainly have drawn upon us and yet cannot but foresee and fear lest the like may hereafter happen which would inevitably bring much peril upon your Majesties Kingdoms We are most humble Suters unto your Gracious Majesty to secure the Hearts of your good Subjects by the ingagement of your Royal Word unto them that upon no occasion of Marriage or Treaty or other request in that behalf from any forein Prince or State whatsoever you will take away or slacken the Execution of your Laws against Jesuits Priests and Popish Recusants To which Our humble Petitions proceeding from Our most Loyal and Dutiful affections towards your Majesty Our Care of Our Countries good and our own confident persuasion that these will much advance the Glory of Almighty God the everlasting Honour of your Majesty the Safety of your Kingdoms and the incouragement of all your good Subjects We do most humbly beseech your Majesty to vouchsafe a gracious Answer The King was prepared for the Petition having given his own Resolution the Check at present that whatsoever he might do hereafter yet now he would comply and therefore he sends for both Houses to Whitehall to sweeten them with a gentle answer to this Petition that might take off those sour aspersions that this miscarriage in Government might happily cast upon him And we will not say but his intentions might rove towards the End though he gave too much liberty through a Natural easiness in himself to those that He trusted with Management of the great affairs by evil means to pervert that end which made him guilty of their Actions For where true Piety is not the Director Carelesness as often as Wilfulness carries men out of the way But he had this Principle and made often use of it like ill Tenants when they let things run to ruin to daub all up again when forced to it and find no other Remedy This was the effect of
of some of these Particulars they insisted upon the Bishops power of Confirmation which they would have every Minister capable of in his own Parish They disputed against the Cross in Baptism the Ring in Marriage the Surplice the Oath ex officio and other things that stuck with them which they hoped to get all purged away because the King was of a Northern constitution where no such things were practised not yet having felt the Kings pulse whom the Southern Air of the Bishops breaths had so wrought upon that He himself answers most of their Demands Sometimes gently applying Lenitives where he found Ingenuity for he was Learned and Eloquent other times Corrosives telling them these Oppositions proceeded more from stubborness in Opinion than tenderness of Conscience and so betwixt his Arguments and Kingly Authority menaced them to a Conformity which proved a way of Silencing them for the present and some of them were content to acquiesce for the future and the King managed this Discourse with such power which they expected not from him and therefore more danted at That Whitgift Arch. Bishop of Canterbury though a holy grave and pious man highly pleased with it with a sugred bait which Princes are apt enough to swallow said He was verily perswaded that the King spake by the Spirit of God This Conference was on the fourteenth of Ianuary and this good man expired the nine and twentieth of February following in David's fulness of days leaving a Name like a sweet perfume behind him And Bancroft a sturdy piece succeeded him but not with the same Spirit for what Whitgift strove to do by Sweetness and Gentleness Bancroft did persevere in with Rigour and Severity Thus the Bishops having gotten the Victory strove to maintain it and though not on the suddain yet by degrees they press so hard upon the Non-conformists whom they held under the yoke of a Law that many of them are forced to seek Foreign Refuge They prevailed not only for themselves here but by their means not long after the King looked back into Scotland and put the Keys there again into the Bishops hands unlocking the passage to the enjoyment of their Temporal Estates which swel'd them so high that in his Sons time the Women of Scotland pulled them out of their tottering seats On the other side the late Conspiracy of Cobham and Grey had so chilled the Kings blood that he begins to take notice of the swarms of Priests that flockt into the Kingdom For though the Conspirators were of several Religions yet in their correspondence with Foreign Princes Religion was the pretence For in every alteration of Kingdoms few are so modest but they will throw in the Hook of their vain Hopes thinking to get something in the troubled Stream The Iesuits were not slack coming with the Seal of the Fisher in spreading their Nets but a Proclamation broke through them The King being contented to let them alone till they came too near him willing to comply rather than exasperate the safety of his own person made him look to the safety of Religion and to secure both He found this the best Remedy Declaring to all the World the cause of this Restriction VINVIT QVI PATITVR OBIIT ANNO AETATIS SVAE 73 Having after some time spent in setling the Politick affairs of this Realm of late bestowed no small labour in composing certain Differences We found among Our Clergy about Rites and Ceremonies heretofore established in this Church of England and reduced the same to such an order and form as We doubt not but every spirit that is led only with piety and not with humour should be therein satisfied It appeared unto Us in debating these Matters that a greater Contagion to Our Religion than could proceed from these light differences was eminent by persons common Enemies to them both namely the great numbers of Priests both Seminaries and Iesuits abounding in this Realm as well of such as were here before Our coming to the Crown as of such as have resorted hither since using their Functions and Professions with greater liberty than heretofore they durst have done partly upon a vain confidence of some Innovation in matters of Religion to be done by Us which We never intended nor gave any man cause to suspect and partly from the assurance of Our general Pardon granted according to the Custom of Our Progenitors at Our Coronation for offences past in the days of the late Queen which Pardon 's many of the said Priests have procured under Our Great Seal and holding themselves thereby free from danger of the Laws do with great audacity exercise all offices of their Profession both saying Masses and perswading Our Subjects from the Religion established reconciling them to the Church of Rome and by consequence seducing them from their Duty and Obedience to Us. Wherefore We hold Our self obliged both in Consequence and Wisdom to use all good means to keep Our Subjects from being affected with superstitious Opinions which are not only pernicious to their own souls but the ready way to corrupt their Duty and Allegiance which cannot be any way so safely performed as by keeping from them the Instruments of that infection which are Priests of all sorts ordained in Foreign parts by Authority prohibited by the Laws of the Land concerning whom therefore We have thought fit to publish to all Our Subjects this open Declaration of Our pleasure c. Willing and Commanding all manner of Iesuits Seminaries and other Priests whatsoever having Ordination from any Authority by the Laws of this Realm prohibited to take notice that Our pleasure is that they do before the nineteenth of March next depart forth of Our Realm and Dominions And to that purpose it shall be lawful for all Officers of Our Ports to suffer the said Priests to depart into Foreign parts between this and said nineteenth day of March Admonishing and assuring all such Iesuits Seminaries and Priests of what sort soever that if any of them after the said time shall be taken within this Realm or any of Our Dominions or departing now upon this Our pleasure signified shall hereafter return into this Our Realm or any of Our Dominions again they shall be left to the penalty of the Laws here being in force concerning them without hope of any favour or remission from Us c. Which though perhaps it may appear to some a great severity towards that sort of Our Subjects yet doubt We not when it shall be considered with indifferent judgment what cause hath moved Us to use this Providence all men will justifie Us therein For to whom is it unknown into what peril Our Person was like to be drawn and Our Realm unto Confusion not many Months since by Conspiracy First conceived by persons of that sort Which when other Princes shall duly observe We assure Our selves they will no way conceive that this alteration proceedeth from any change of disposition but out of
for at my hands Thus the Beams of Majesty had an influence upon every branch and leaf of the Kingdom by reflecting upon the Root their Representative Body every particular expecting what fruit this Sun-shine would produce striving as much to insinuate into him as he did into the general so that there was a Reciprocal Harmony between the King and the People because they courted one another But when the Kings Bounty contracted it self into private Favourites as it did afterwards bestowing the affection he promised the whole people upon one man when the golden showers they gaped for dropt into some few chanels their passions flew higher than their hopes The Kings aims were to unite the two Kingdoms so that the one might corroborate the other to make good that part of his Speech by this intermixtion wherein he divides England and Scotland into halves But the English stumbled at that partition thinking it an unequal division and fearing that the Scots creeping into English Lordships and English Ladies Beds in both which already they began to be active might quickly make their least half the predominant part But he was Proclaimed King of Great Britain England must be no more a Name the Scotish Coyns are made currant and our Ships must have Saint Georges and Saint Andrews Crosses quartered together in their Flags all outward Ensigns of Amity But those English that had suckt in none of the sweets of this pleasant Stream of Bounty repined to see the Scots advanced from blew Bonnets to costly Beavers wearing instead of Wadmeal Velvet and Satin as divers Pasquils written in that Age Satyrically taunted at Which is not set down here to vilifie the Scots being most of them Gentlemen that had deserved well of their Master but to shew how cross to the publick Appetite the Hony-comb is that another man eats But the King like a wise Pilot guided the Helm with so even an hand that these small gusts were not felt It behoved him to play his Master-prize in the Beginning which he did to the life for he had divers opinions humours and affections to grapple with as well as Nations and 't is a very calm Sea when no billow rises The Romanists bogled that he said in his Speech They were unsufferable in the Kingdom as long as they maintained the Pope to be their Spiritual Head and He to have power to dethrone Princes The Separatists as the King called them were offended at that Expression wherein he professed willingly if the Papists would lay down King-killing and some other gross errors he would be content to meet them half way So that every one grounded his hopes or his fears upon the shallows of his own fancy not knowng yet what course the King would steer But these sores being tenderly dealt with did not suddenly fester but were skinned over The King desirous of the Title Pacificus did not only close with his own Subjects but healed up also that old wound that had bled long in the sides of England and Spain both being weary of the pain both willing to be cured The King of Spain sent the Constable of Castile with a mighty Train of smooth-handed Spaniards to close up the wound on this side where the old Enmity being well mortified they were received with singular Respect and Civility The King of England sent his High Admiral the Earl of Notingham with as splendid a Retinue of English to close it on that Who being Personages of Quality accoutred with all Ornaments suitable were the more admired by the Spaniards for beauty and excellency by how much the Iesuits had made impressions in the vulgar opinion That since the English left the Roman Religion they were transformed into strange horrid shapes with Heads and Tails like Beasts and Monsters So easie it is for those Iuglers when they have once bound up the Conscience to tye up the Vnderstanding also EARL OF NOTTINGHAM GEORGE CAREW EARL OF TOTNES And to satisfie the Kings desires about an Vnion betwixt England and Scotland the Parliament made an Act to authorise certain Commissioners viz. Thomas Lord Ellesmere Lord Chancellor of England Thomas Earl of Dorset Lord Treasurer of England Charles Earl of Notingham Lord High Admiral of England Henry Earl of Southampton William Earl of Pembroke Henry Earl of Northampton Richard Bishop of London Tobie Bishop of Duresme Anthony Bishop of Saint Davids Robert Lord Cecil Principal Secretary Edward Lord Zouch Lord President of Wales William Lord Mounteagle Ralph Lord Eure Edmund Lord Sheffeild Lord President of the Council in the North Lords of the Higher House of Parliament And Thomas Lord Clinton Robert Lord Buckhurst Sir Francis Hastings Knight Sir Iohn Stanhope Knight Vice-Chamberlain to his Majesty Sir Iohn Herbert Knight second Secretary to his Majesty Sir George Carew Knight Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen Sir Thomas Strickland Knight Sir Edward Stafford Knight Sir Henry Nevill of Berk-shire Knight Sir Richard Bukley Knight Sir Henry Billingsley Knight Sir Daniel Dun Knight Dean of the Arches Sir Edward Hobby Knight Sir Iohn Savile Knight Sir Robert Wroth Knight Sir Thomas Chaloner Knight Sir Robert Maunsel Knight Sir Thomas Ridgeway Knight Sir Thomas Holcroft Knight Sir Thomas Hesketh Knight Atturney of the Court of Wards Sir Francis Bacon Knight Sir Lawrence Tanfield Knight Serjeant at Law Sir Henry Hubberd Knight Serjeant at Law Sir Iohn Bennet Doctor of the Laws Sir Henry Withrington Sir Ralph Grey and Sir Thomas Lake Knights Robert Askwith Thomas Iames and Henry Chapman Merchants Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons or any eight of the said Lords and twenty of the said Commons Which Commissioners shall have power to assemble meet treat and consult with certain select Commissioners to be nominated and authorised by Authority of the Parliament of Scotland concerning such Matters Causes and things as they in their Wisdoms shall think and deem convenient and necessary for the honour of the King and common good of both Kingdoms Yet the good intentions of this Vnion took no effect as will follow in the sequel of this History But there were a great many good Laws made which are too voluminous for this place having a proper Sphere of their own to move in Thus the King sate triumphing as it were upon a Throne of his Peoples Affections and his beginnings had some settlement for being loth to be troubled he sought Peace every-where But our inbred distempers lay upon the Lee intermixt with other gross dregs that the Princes lenity and the Peoples luxury produced For the King minding his sports many riotous demeanours crept into the Kingdom the Sun-shine of Peace being apt for such a production upon the slime of the late War The Sword and Buckler trade being now out of date one corruption producing another the City of London being always a fit Receptacle for such whose prodigalities and wastes made them Instruments of Debaucheries divers Sects of vitious Persons going under the
Title of Roaring Boys Bravadoes Roysters c. commit many insolencies the Streets swarm night and day with bloody quarrels private Duels fomented especially betwixt the English and Scots many Discontents nourished in the Countries betwixt the Gentry and Commonalty about Inclosure the meanest gaping after new hopes growing in some places to a petty Rebellion Daily discords incident to peace and plenty betwixt private Families Papist against Protestant one Friend against another the Papists being a strong and dangerous Faction missing their hopes strove to make the Scots more odious than they could make themselves though some of them went so high as to counterfeit the Kings Privy-Seal and make Addresses thereby to Foreign Princes for which one Thomas Dowglas taken in the fact was executed in Smithfield Others were so insolent as to quip and jear the English Nobility and other misdemeanours which caused secret heart-burnings and jealousies betwixt the Nations But then comes a Proclamation like a strong Pill and carries away the grossest of these humours Something yet stuck especially in the Consciences of the Popish Party that could not be purged away without a Toleration which they Petition for but not being granted they contrived one of the most Horrid and Stupendious Mischiefs that ever entred into the Hearts of Men For their heat of malice would not be quenched with the Blood Royal but the Nobility and Gentry the Representative Body of the whole Kingdom United at Westminster must be shattered in pieces and dis-membred by the blast of six and thirty Barrels of Gun-powder which those dark Contrivers had hid in a Cellar under the Parliament House being discovered by a light from Heaven and a Letter from one of the Conspirators when the fire was already in their hands as well as rage in their hearts to put to the Train The principal of these Contrivers was Robert Catesbie a Gentleman of a good plentiful Estate who first hatched and brooded the Plot and promised to himself the glory of an Eternal Name by the Propagation of it making choyce of Thomas GUY FAWKES Executed in the Year 1606. for the GUNPOWDER PLOT Percy Robert Winter Thomas Winter Iohn Grant Ambrose Rookwood Iohn Wright Francis Tresham Sir Everard Digby and others Gentlemen of good Estates for the most part and spirits as implacable and furious as his own who like combustible matter took fire at the first motion their zeal to the Roman cause burning within them which nothing but the blood of Innocents can quench The design thus set afoot they bind themselves to secresie by those Sacraments which are the greatest ties upon the Soul and Saint Garnet the Iesuit was their Confessor The foundation being laid every man betakes himself to his work some to provide money some materials Percy was to hire the Cellars under the Parliament House to lay Wood and Coal in for his Winter-provision Guido Faux a desperate Ruffian who was to give fire to the Train was appointed to be his man to bring in the Wood and Coal The Gunpowder provided in Flanders is brought from Lambeth in the night and covertly laid under the Wood. Thus they prepare all things ready for a Burnt-offering against the day the Parliament should meet which was to be upon the seventh of February But the King for some Reasons of State which at that time the dictates of Providence did much approve of prorogued the Parliament of the fifth of November following which scattered the Contrivers at present and they were at their wits end and some of them went beyond Seas because they would not beat too much about the Covert their materials being fitted others that staid here persisted with Patience made a Vice by them and met often to consult how they should manage their great business if it took effect They looked upon the King and Prince as already sacrificed to their Cruelty And Percy undertook to dispatch the Duke of York But because they must have one of the Blood Royal that must serve as a center to adhere to to keep all from Confusion they meant to preserve the Lady Elizabeth and make her Queen that under her minority and innocency they might the better establish their bloody Principles of Piety and Policy They had designed the fatal day to be upon the fifth of November when the King and both Houses were to meet and that day they appointed a great Hunting-match at Dunsmore-beach in Warwick-shire to be nearer the Lord Harington's House where the Lady Elizabeth was And they had by their horrid Art and Experience so fitted their Matches that were to convey the fire to the Powder that they could know a hundred Miles off to a minute when that Monstrous Fiery Exhalation would break out Solacing themselves in this bloody expectation and thinking their Conveyances under ground were not seen above by the Divine Discoverer they stood like Vultures gaping for their Prey when behold one tender-hearted Murderer among the Pack willing to save the Lord Monteagle writ this Letter to him MY Lord out of the love I bear to some of your friends I have a care of your Preservation therefore I would wish you as you tender your Life to forbear your attendance at this Parliament for God and Man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this Time And think not sleightly of this advertisement for though there be no appearance of any stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurt them This Counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you Good and can do you no Harm for the danger is past as soon as you have burnt this Letter I hope God will give you grace to make use of it to whose Holy Protection I commend you THOMAS PERSI NOBILIS ANGLVS MAGNIBRITANNIAE REGIS STIPENDIARIVS ANNO 1605 Haec est vera prima originalis editio ThoÌ„ae Perci Os vultumq vides Thomae cognomine Percy Inter Britannos nobileis noâ—…ssimi Queis rebus 〈◊〉 ambitione superstitioso Animo nefandam machinatur dum necem Regi Regina Ordinibus diprenditur ipsum Deo volente seclus in auctorem 〈◊〉 A Thomas Ichryâ— Capâ—â—â—runt B Tho IehrusÌ„ Regi adduxerit C Tho Persi in Arce fugit D Thomas Persi sagittatus mortuus Execution of the Conspirators In the Gunpowder Plot in the Year 1606. This Prodigious Contrivance did not only stupifie the whole Kingdom with amazement but Foreign Princes made their Wonderment also And though for the Propagation of the Catholick Cause they might have Conscience enough to with it had taken Effect yet they had Policy enough to Congratulate the Discovery and some of them to take off the asperity of the Suspect sweetned their Expressions with many rich Gifts and Presents to the King and Queen But this bloody Design found in the hand of the Malefactors grasping the Mischief and confirmed by their own Confessions being such Spirits as were fit
the Common Laws divers contrary Reports and Precedents and divers Statutes and Acts of Parliament that do cross one another being so penned that they may be taken in divers senses therefore he could wish they might be reviewed and reconciled And whereas he is thought an Enemy to Prohibitions he saith he is not ignorant of the necessity of them if every stream might run in its own chanel but the overflowing and super-abundance of them in every Court striving to bring most grist to their own Mill was a distemper fit to be cured therefore he did not disallow the Use but the Abuse Then he closes with the House of Commons and not only thanks them for the Bonefire they made of certain Papers which were presented Grievances from some discontented murmuring spirits but he instructs them how to receive Grievances hereafter In which he would have them careful to avoid three things The first That they meddle not with the main points of Government that is his craft Tractent fabrilia fabri To meddle with that were to lessen him who hath been thirty years at the Trade in Scotland and served an Apprentiship of seven years here therefore here needs no Phormios to teach Hannibal Secondly He would not have such ancient Rights as he hath received from his Predecessors accounted Grievances that were to judg him unworthy to injoy what they left him And lastly That they should be careful not to present that for a Grievance which is established by a Law for it is very undutiful in Subjects to press their King wherein they are sure to be denyed Complaints may be made unto them of the High-Commissioners let the abuse appear then and spare not there may be errors among them but to take away the Commission is to derogate from him and it is now in his thoughts to rectifie it in a good proportion Then he shews the emergent cause of his great expences since his coming to the Crown which makes him desire a supply from them confirming what the Lords formerly delivered wherein he said when they opened his necessities unto them his purse only labour'd now his desires are taken notice of both at home and abroad his Reputation labours as well as his Purse for the World will think it want of love in them or merit in him that both lessen'd their hearts and tied up their hands towards him Thus the King expressed himself to the Parliament desiring their assistance assuring them he had no intention to alter the Government though he wished the Laws might be rectified But his King-craft as he calls it failed in striking at the Common Law and he was convinced in it how dangerous it was to give too much knowledg to the people the two great Hammers of the State the Church-man and Lawyer that work the people to obedience upon the two Anvils of Conscience and Policy beat him to the understanding of it so that ever after he joyned with them and that three-fold Cord was not easily dissolved But the times not being ripe yet to produce any thing but the fruits of obedience they after this Lesson setled themselves to make divers good Laws which they purchased at the rate of a Subsidie and a Fifteen DURHAM HOUSE SALISBURY HOUSE WORCESTER HOUSE ILLUSTRISS PRINC IOHAN GUILIELMUS DUX IULIAE CLIVIAE BERG COMES MARCH RAVENSBERG MEURS DOMINUS IN RAVESTEYN IN DEO REFUGIUM MEUM Natus a o 1562 28 Maÿ obÿt a o 1609 25 Martÿ aetatis suae ann o 46. mens 9. die 25. This year 1609. begot a Truce betwixt the King of Spain and the Low Countries yet by the death of the Duke of Cleve the War was like to revive again For while two petty Princes Brandenburgh and Newburgh strove for the inheritance Spain like the Vulture in the Fable attempted to catch it from both seizing upon Iuliers one of the chief Strengths of the Country which the States of the Netherlands by the help of our King and Henry the Fourth of France besieged and recovered again Sir Edward Cecil Brother to the Earl of Salisburg commanded four thousand English at that Siege whose Conduct gave Life to his Soldiers Valour and that advanced the Glory of his Conduct But where such fiery Spirits are congregated into a Body there will be often violent and thundring eruptions Sir Hatton Cheek was next Commander to Sir Edward Cecil a Man of a gallant and daring courage in the difficultest enterprises who speaking to Sir Thomas Dutton one of the Captains under his Command somewhat hastily Dutton disdaining to be snapt up being a man of a crabbed temper returned as hot an answer which broke into a flame But Dutton quenched it by telling Sir Hatton Cheek He knew he was his Officer which tied him in the Army to a strict Obedience but he would break that Bond and vindicate himself in another place And instantly quitting his Command he went for England Some small time after the taking of Iuliers Cheek fell sick and his distemper was the greater because he had heard Dutton strove to defame him both in Court and City for being full with passion he vented it with freedom enough in every place Cheek being recovered and heart-whole would not give time to his decayed limbs to suck in their old vigor but sends to Dutton that threatned him to give an account of the large expence of his tongue against him Dutton that waited for such a reckoning willingly accepted the Summons Cheek took Pigot one of his Captains to be his Second Dutton took Captain Gosnald both Men of well-spread fame and they four met on Calais Sands On which dreadful Stage at first meeting Dutton began to expostulate his injuries as if a Tongue-Combate might decide the Controversie but Cheek would dispute it otherwise Then their Seconds searching and stripping them to their Shirts in a cold morning they ran with that sury on each others Sword as if they did not mean to kill each other but strive who should first die Their Weapons were Rapier and Dagger a fit Banquet for Death At the first course Cheek ran Dutton into the neck with his Rapier and stab'd him in the neck backward with his Dagger miraculously missing his wind-pipe And at the same instant like one motion Dutton ran Cheek through the Body and stab'd him into the back with his left hand locking themselves together thus with four bloody keys which the Seconds fairly opened and would sain have closed up the bleeding difference but Cheeks wounds were deadly which he finding grew the violenter against his Enemy and Dutton seeing him begin to stagger went back from his fury only defending himself till the others rage weakned with loss of blood without any more hurt fell at his feet Dutton with much difficulty recovered his dangerous wounds but Cheek by his Servants had a sad Funeral which is the bitter fruit of fiery passions HENRY IIII ROY DE FRANCE ET DE NAVARRE The venom of
this blow reached presently into England and came somewhat near our Kings Heart therefore he took the best way to prevent his Fears by striving to prevent his Dangers having no other end but his own For when he considered the horridness of the Powder Plot and by it the irreconcileable malice of that Party he thought it the safest policy not to stir those Ashes where so much Fire was covered which gave way to a flux of that Iesuitical humour to infest the Body of the Kingdom But now being startled with this poysoned knife he ventures upon a Proclamation strictly commanding all Iesuits and Priests out of the Kingdom and all Recusants to their own Houses not to come within ten miles of the Court and secures all the rest of his Subjects to him by an universal taking of the Oath of Allegiance which the Parliament both Lords and Commons then sitting began and the rest of the People followed to the Kings great contentment For the last Session the Parliament was prorogued till the sixteenth of October this year and meeting now they were willing to secure their Allegiance to the King out of Piety yet they were so stout even in those youthful days which he term'd Obstinacy that they would not obey him in his incroachments upon the Publick Liberty which he began then to practise For being now season'd with seven years knowledg in his profession here he thought he might set up for himself and not be still journy-man to the lavish tongue of men that pryed too narrowly into the secrets of his Prerogative which are mysteries too high for them being Arcana imperii fitter to be admired than questioned But the Parliament were apprehensive enough that those hidden mysteries made many dark steps into the Peoples Liberties and they were willing by the light of Law and Reason to discover what was the Kings what theirs Which the King unwilling to have searched into after five Sessions in six years time dissolved the Parliament by Proclamation HENRICUS Princeps Walliae etc a. Reverendissimus in Christo Pater D.D. RICHARDUS BANCROFT Archiepiscopus Cantuariensis About this time Richard Bancroft Arch-Bishop of Canterbury died a person severe enough whose roughness gained little upon those that deserted the Ceremonies One work of his shewed his spirit better than the ruggedest Pen can depaint it For it was he that first brought the King to begin a new Colledg by Chelsey wherein the choice and abiest Scholars of the Kingdom and the most pregnant Wits in matters of Controversies were to be associated under a Provost with a fair and ample allowance not exceeding three thousand pounds a year whose design was to answer all Popish Books or others that vented their malignant spirits against the Protestant Religion either the Heresies of the Papists or the Errors of those that strook at Hierarchy so that they should be two-edged Fellows that would make old cutting and flashing and this he forwarded with all industry during his time and there is yet a formal Act of Parliament in being for the establishment of it But after his death the King wisely considered that nothing begets more contention than opposition and such Fuellers would be apt to inslame rather than quench the heat that would arise from those embors For Controversies are often or for the most part the exuberancies of Passion and the Philosopher saith men are drunk with disputes and in that inordinateness take the next thing that comes to hand to throw at one anothers faces so that the design fell to the ground with him and there is only so much Building standing by the Thames-side as to shew that what he intended to Plant he meant should be well Watered and yet it withered in the bud I can lay nothing to the charge of this great man but from common fame yet this I may truly say That for his Predecessor Whitgift and his Successor Abbot I never heard nor read any thing tending to their disparagement But on him some unhappy Wit vented this Pasquin Here lies his Grace in cold Earth slad Who died with want of what he had The Queen was Mistress of Somerset-house as well as the Prince was Master of St. Iames and she would fain have given it the name of Denmark-house which name continued her time among her people but it was afterwards left out of the common Calender like the dead Emperors new named Month. She was not without some Grandees to attend her for outward glory The Court being a continued Maskarado where she and her Ladies like so many Sea-Nymphs or Nereides appeared often in various dresses to the ravishment of the beholders The King himself being not a little delighted with such fluent Elegancies as made the nights more glorious than the days But the latitude that these high-flying fancies and more speaking Actions gave to the lower World to judg and censure even the greatest with reproaches shall not provoke me so much as to stain the innocent Paper I shall only say in general That Princes by how much they are greater than others are looked upon with a more severe eye if their Vertues be not suitable to their Greatness they lose much of their value For it is too great an allay to such resinedness to fall under the common cognizance Philip Earle of Pemb Mong Lord Chamberlaine to the King etc. Now all addresses are made to Sir Robert Car he is the Favourit in Ordinary no sute nor no reward but comes by him his hand distributes and his hand restrains our Supreme Power works by second Causes the Lords themselves can scarce have a smile without him And to give the greater lustre to his power about this time the Earl of Dunbar the Kings old trusty Servant the Cabinet of his secret Counsels died so that he solely now took the most intimate of them into his charge and the Officer of Lord high Treasurer of Scotland which staff the other left behind him and though it could be no great Supporter yet the credit of it carried some reputation in his own Country where it was his happiness to be magnified as well as in England for he had Treasure enough here where the Fountain was And to ingrandize all the King created him Baron of Brandspech and Viscount Rochester and soon after Knight of the Garter Thus was he drawn up by the Beams of Majesty to shine in the highest Glory grapling often with the Prince himself in his own Sphear in divers Conteslations For the Prince being a high born Spirit and meeting a young Competitor in his Fathers Affections that was a Mushrom of yesterday thought the venom would grow too near him and therefore he gave no countenance but opposition to it which was aggravated by some little scintils of Love as well as Hatred Rivals in passion being both amorous and in youthful blood fixing by accident upon one object who was a third mans in which the Viscount
into a Coffin and bury him privately on Tower-Hill Concluding That God is gracious in cutting off evil Instruments before their time Which Sentence while he was writing it reflected the judgment on himself For Northampton having a great influence in the Kingdom being a prime Counsellor to the King and intimate with Somerset they two grasping all Power and Northampton having the better head to manage it the miscarriages were not without cause imputed to him For being a Papist he did not only work upon Somerset to pervert him by letting him see there was a greater latitude for the Conscience in that Religion but got him to procure many immunities for the Papists as the Kings best affected Subjects And being Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports he gave free access to Priests and Iesuits that abundantly flockt again into the Kingdom the operation of the last Proclamation having now lost the vertue And a Letter being discovered which he had written to Cardinal Bellarmine wherein he expresses the condition of the Times and the Kings importunity compelled him to be a Protestant in shew yet nevertheless his heart stood firm with the Papists and if there were cause he would express it with much more to this purpose These things first muttered then urged against him touched him to the heart so that he retired disposed of his Estate and dyed He had a great mind tending towards eminent things which he was the better able to effect by living a Batchelor to an old Age being always attended and he loved it with Gentlemen of Quality to whom he was very bountiful His affections were also much raised to Charity as by the Almshouse he erected appears and his Works shew him to be a great getter But leaving no Issue to propagate his name he built a fair House by Charing-cross to continue it which it lost soon after his death being called Suffolk-house for a time and now is Northumberland-house Such changes there are in the Worlds measures His Body was carried to be buried at Dover because he was Warden of the Cinque-Ports as was reported by some of his Followers but it was vulgarly rumored to be transported to Rome But these actions of his about Overbury lying dormant made no great noise at this time against him but when they broke out they laid upon his name as great a stench as Infamy or Oaium could produce SUFFOLK HOUSE CHARING CROSS The Spaniards the first discoverers being more covetous to grasp than well able to plant took possession of the most precious places so that the English French and Dutch caught but what they left Sir Walter Rawleigh and others after Sir Francis Drake found out that Country now called Virginia which was long since planted with a Colony And in that tract of Land more Northerly within the degrees of 40 and 48 of latitude lies New-England a Climate temperate and healthful but not so much as the Old It is rather a low than a high Land full of Rocky-Capes or Promontories The Inmost parts of the Country are Mountainous intermixt with fruitful Vallies and large Lakes which want not store of good Fish The Hills are no where Barren though in some places Stony but fruitful in Trees and Grass There are many Rivers fresh Brooks and Springs that run into the Sea The Rivers are good Harbors and abound with plenty of excellent Fish yet are they full of Falls which makes them not Navigable far into the Land The Seas bordering the Shores are studded with Islands about which great Shoals of Fishes Cod Haddock and such like do wantonly sport themselves The main Land doth nourish abundance of Deers Bears Wolves and a beast called Moose peculiar to those Regions and the Rivers and Ponds are stored with some Beavers Otters and Musquashes There are also divers kinds of small Beasts but the most offensive are Foxes Fowls there are store in their several seasons as Turkies Geese and Ducks and the soyl naturally produces wild Vines with very large Bunches of Grapes but the extremity of heat and cold hinder their just temper There are many other Fruits which are very good with Plants whose Rinds or Barks transcends our Hemp or Flax both Air and Earth concurring to bring forth most things that Industry and Art can provide for the use of man The first that sent a Colony into this Country was the Lord Chief Justice Popham in the year 1606. A man highly renowned in his time for persecuting such as transgressed the Laws among Christians living like Beasts of prey to the prejudice of Travellers And in this he had a special aim and hope also to establish Christian Laws among Infidels and by domestical to chace away those ferous and indomitable Creatures that infested the Land Brave and gallant spirits having ever such publick ends But Planters are like Alchymists they have something in projection that many times fails in production It is conceived the Romans were not well advised to settle one of their first Colonies at Maldon in Essex whose soyl about is neither yet sound nor Air salubrious And the first opening of ground in a Climate not Natural hath an extraordinary operation upon the Bodies of Men whose Senses must comply to give entertainment to a Stranger that often spoils the place where it finds Hospitality For the first Planters of New-England having seated themselves low few of them were left to direct those that succeeded in a better way Yet People by dear experience overcame it by degrees being yearly supplied by men whose industry and affections taught them there was more hope to find safety in New-England than in the Old Though these found some stop yet our great Favourite the Earl of Somerset and his business runs smoothly without rub since Overburies death But he must alter his Bias and go less or find some new ways to bring in Monies the Revenues of the Crown are not competent to maintain such vast Expences accumulated by his Riot though he had all the Earl of Westmorelands Lands at his Marriage and Creation added to his Earldom There must be therefore a new Order of Baronets made in number two hundred that must be next Degree to Barons and these must pay a thousand pound a piece for their Honour having it by Patent under the great Seal and continued to Posterity with the Title of Knights Some of these new Honourable men whose Wives pride and their own Prodigalities had pumpt up to it were so drained that they had not moisture to maintain the radical humour but wither'd no nothing This money thus raised is pretended for planting the North of Ireland but it found many other Chanels before it came to that Sea And though at our Kings first access to the Crown there was a glut of Knights made yet after some time he held his hand left the Kingdom should be cloyed with them And the World thriv'd so well with some that the price was afterwards brought
easily committed and concealed It is an offence that is Tanquam sagitta nocte volans it is the Arrow that flies by night it discerns not whom it hits for many times the poyson is laid for one and another takes it As in Sanders case where the poysoned Apple was laid for the Mother and the Child eat it And so in that notorious Case whereupon the Statute of 22 Hen. 8. cap. 9. was made where the intent being but to poyson one or two poyson was put in a little Vessel of Barm that stood in the Kitchen at the Bishop of Rochesters house of which Barm Pottage or Grewel was made wherewith seventeen of the Bishops Family were poysoned nay divers of the poor that came to the Bishops-gate and had the Pottage in Alms were likewise poysoned Here is great talk of Impoysonment I hope I am safe I have no enemies nor any thing men can long for that is all one for he may sit at the Table by one for whom poyson is prepared and have a drench of his Cup or of his Pottage and so as the Poet saith Concidit infelix alieno vulnere he may die another mans death and therefore it was most gravely judiciously and properly provided by that Statute that Impoysonment should be High-Treason because whatsoever offence tendeth to the utter subversion and dissolution of Human Society is in the nature of High-Treason But it is an offence that I may truly say of it Non est nostri generis nec sanguinis It is thanks be to God rare in the Isle of Britain It is neither of our Country nor of our Church You may find it in Rome and Italy there is a Religion for it if it should come among us it were better living in a Wilderness than in a Court. For the particular fact upon Overbury I knew the Gentleman it is true his mind was great but it moved not in any great good order yet certainly it did commonly fly at good things and the greatest fault that ever I heard by him was That he made his Friend his Idol But take him as he was the Kings Prisoner in the Tower and then see how the Case stands In that place the State is as it were a Respondent to make good the Body of the Prisoner and if any thing happen to him there it may though not in this Case yet in some others make an aspersion and reflexion upon the State it self For the person is utterly void of his own defence his own care and providence can serve him to nothing He is in the custody and preservation of Law and we have a Maxim in our Law that when a State is in preservation of Law nothing can destroy it or hurt it and God forbid but the like should be in Persons and therefore this was a circumstance of great aggravation Lastly To have a man chased to death in a manner as it appears now by matter of Record for other privacy of Cause I know not by poyson after poyson First Rosaker then Arsnick then Mercury sublimate then sublimate again it is a thing would astonish mans nature to hear it The Poets feign that the Furies had Whips and that they were corded with poysoned Snakes and a man would think that this subject were the very Case To have a man tied to a post and to scourge him to death with Serpents for so truly may diversity of poysons be termed It pleased my Lord Chief Justice to let me know that which I heard with great comfort which was the charge that his Majesty gave to himself and the rest of the Commissioners in this Case worthy to be written in Letters of Gold That the business should be carried without touch to any that was innocent not only without impeachment but without aspersion which was a most Noble and Princely caution for mens Reputations are tender things and ought to be like Christs Coat without seam And it was more to be respected in this Case because it met with two great Persons A Nobleman that his Majesty had favoured and advanced and his Lady being of a great and Honourable House though I think it be true that the Writers say that there is no Pomegranate so fair or so sound but may have a perished Kernel Nay I see plainly in those excellent Papers of his Majesties own hand-writing as so many beams of Iustice issuing from that Vertue which so much doth shine in him the business so evenly carried without prejudice whether it were a true Accusation on the one part or a practice or false Accusation on the other as shewed plainly that his Majesties judgment was Tanquam tabula rasa as a clean pair of Tables and his ears Tanquam janua aperta as a gate not side open but wide open to the Truth as it should be discovered And I may truly affirm that there was never in this Kingdom nor in any other the blood of a private Gentleman vindicated Cum tanto motu Regni or to say better Cum tanto plausu Regni If it had concerned the King or Prince there could not have been greater or better Commissioners The term hath been almost turned into a Iustium or Vacancy the people being more willing to be lookers on in this business than proceeders in their own There hath been no care of discovery omitted no moment of time lost and therefore I will conclude with the saying of Solomon this part of my Speech Gloria Deicelare rem and gloria Regis scrutari rem It is the glory of God to conceal a thing and it is the glory of the King to find it out And his Majesties honor is the greater for that he shewed to the World this business as it hath relation to my Lord of Somerset whose Case in no sort I do fore-judg being ignorant of the secrets of the cause but take him as the Law takes him hitherto for a suspect I say the King hath to his great honor shewed That were any man in such a case of blood as the Signet of his right-hand as the Scripture saith he would put him off Now will I come to the particular Charge of these Gentlemen And first I will by way of Narrative relate the Fact with the occasion of it This wretched man Weston who was the Actor or Mechanical party in this Impoysonment the first day being indicted by a very substantial Iury of selected Citizens to the number of nineteen who found Billa vera yet nevertheless at the first stood mute But after some days intermission it pleased God to cast out the Dumb Devil and he put himself upon his Trial and was by a Iury of great value upon his own Confessions and other testimonies found guilty So as thirty and one sufficient Iurors have past upon him and he had also his Judgment and Execution awarded After this being in preparation for another World he sent for Sir Overbury's Father and falling down upon his knees with great remorse
were of transcendent parts yet was he tainted with the same infection and not many years after perished in his own corruption which shews That neither Example nor Precept he having seen so many and been made capable of so much can be a Pilot sufficient to any Port of Happiness though Reason be never so able to direct if Grace doth not give the gate But the King more to exalt Iustice and to shew the people his high abilities came in Iune this year to the Star-Chamber where in a long and well-weighed Discourse he turns over the volume of his mind that the World might read his excellent parts in lively characters He told the Lords he came thither in imitation of Henry the seventh his great Predecessor and the reason he came no sooner was that he resolved with Pythagoras for seven years to keep silence and learn the Laws of the Kingdom before he would teach others and the other seven years he was studying to find an occasion to come that might not be with prejudice For in his own cause he could not come in a great cause betwixt man and man it might be thought some particular favour brought him thither and in a small Cause it was not fit for him to come but now he had so much to say in relation to good Government that he could no longer forbear First He charges himself Secondly The judges Thirdly The Auditory in general In his own Charge he lays a foundation for raising a most excellent structure in Government wherein he was a Master-workman and had a most admirable Theory and full abilities to put it in practice and happily the bent of his intentions tended that way though it had for the most part a loose strong And to that which concerned the Judges he not only reckons up their Duties in their publick Relation but shews them the Iurisdiction and power of their several Courts how far every one did extend to which he would have them limited that they might not clash and contest one against another to shake the Basis on which they were built but that there might be a harmony and sweet concordance among them Expressing himself with such Elegance and Prudence that the most studious Lawyer whose design had been to imbellish a Discourse fitting for the ears of his Prince could not have gone beyond what he exprest to his People so strong and retentive was his judgment and memory so natural and genuine that which came from them that it did emanare flow from him to the admiration of the hearers To the people in general and under-Officers he gave an admonition to submit to the Law and Justice of the Land and not to go upon new Puritan strains such was his expression to make all things popular but to keep themselves within the antient limits of Obedience For he feared Innovation as a Monster got loose which should be always kept in such a Labyrinth as none should come at but by the Clew of Reason Then he commands the Judges in their Circuits to take notice of those Justices of the Peace that were most active for the good of the Country that they might have incouragement from him For to use his own words I value them that serve me faithfully there equally with those that attend my person Therefore let none be ashamed of this Office or be discouraged in being a Justice of the Peace if he serve worthily in it The Chancellor under me makes Justices and puts them out but neither I nor he can tell what they are therefore we must be informed by you Judges who can only tell who do well and who do ill without which how can the good be cherished and the rest put out the good Justices are careful to attend the service of the King and Country the bad are idle slow-bellies that abide always at home given to a life of ease and delight liker Ladies than Men and think it is enough to contemplate Justice when as Virtusin actione consistet contemplative Justice is no Justice and contemplative Justices are fit to be put out Another sort of Justices are Busie-bodies and will have all men dance after their Pipe and follow their Greatness or else will not be content A sort of men Qui se primos omnium esse putant nec sunt tamen These proud spirits must know that the Country is ordained to follow God and the King and not them Another sort are they that go seldom to the Kings service but when it is to help some of their Kindred or Alliance so they come to help ther Friends or hurt their Enemies making Jugice serve for a shadow to Faction and tumultuating the Country Another sort are Gentlemen of great worth in their own conceit and cannot be content with the present form of Government but must have a kind of liberty in the people and must be gracious Lords and Redeemers of their Liberty and in every cause that concerns Prerogative give a snatch against Monarchy through their Puritanical itching after Popularity some of them have shewed themselves too bold of late in the lower House of Parliament And when all is done if there were not a King they would be less cared for than other men So wise the Kings fears made him and so wary to prevent the popular violence And even in these Infant-times the contention doth appear which afterward got more strength when by his power he had gained in every County such as he made subservient to his will For as the King strove to loosen the Piles and Banks of the peoples liberties so the people strove to bound and keep off the Inundation of his Prerogative Then he takes notice of the swarms of Gentry that through the instigation of their Wives or to new model and fashion their Daughters who if they were unmarried mar'd their Marriages if married lost their Reputations and rob their husbands purses did neglect their Country Hospitality and cumber the City a general Nuisance to the Kingdom being as the spleen to the Body which as in measure it over-grows the Body wasts and seeing a Proclamation will not keep them at home he requires that the power of the Star-chamber may not only regulate them but the exorbitancy of the new buildings about the City which he still much repined at being a shelter for them where they spent their Estates in Coaches Lacquies and fine Cloaths like French-men living miserably in their houses like Italians becoming Apes to other Nations Whereas it was the honour of the English Nobility and Gentry above all Countries in the World to be hospitable among their Tenants Which they may the better do by the fertility and abundance of all things Thus the King pried into every miscarriage being willing to reform these then growing abuses But among all the heights of Reason that the spirit of man doth actuate and give life to the highest and most transcendent is that of Religion which
their houses and where company meet the discourse is commonly of the times for every man will vent his passion these Ladies he sweetned with Presents that they might allay such as were two sower in their expression to stop them in the course if they ran on too fast and bring them to a gentler pace He lived at Ely-House in Holborn his passage to the Court was ordinarily through Drury-lane the Covent-Garden being then an inclosed field and that Lane and the Strand were the places where most of the Gentry lived and the Ladies as he went knowing his times would not be wanting to appear in their Balconies or Windows to present him their Civilities and he would watch for it and as he was carried in his Litter or bottomless Chair the easiest seat for his Fistula he would strain himself as much as an old man could to the humblest posture of Respect One day passing by the Lady Iacob's house in Drury-lane she exposing her self for a Salutation he was not wanting to her but she moved nothing but her mouth gaping wide open upon him He wondred at the Ladie 's incivility but thought that it might be happily a yawning fit took her at that time for trial whereof the next day he finds her in the same place and his Courtesies were again accosted with no better expressions than an extended mouth Whereupon he sent a Gentleman to her to let her know that the Ladies of England were more gracious to him than to incounter his Respects with such Affronts She answered it was true that he had purchased some of their favours at a dear rate And she had a mouth to be stopt as well as others Gondemar finding the cause of the emotion of her mouth sent her a Present as an Antidote which cured her of that distemper ELY HOUSE Engrav'd from an original Drawing The Earl of Buckingham as great in Title as in Favour was now grown a Marquess and lying all this while in the King's bosom every man paid tribute to his smiles As the King bought off Worcester to make him Master of the Horse so he bought off Nottingham to make him Admiral What may not he have that is not only Master of his Horse and Ships but his Heart also His Mother is created a Countess by Patent and her second Husband Sir Thomas Compton had no other Title but an unworthy one which the People either out of their anger or her misdemeanour imposed upon him Her eldest Son first made Sir Iohn Villiers after Viscount Purbeck married to the Daughter and Heir of the Lady Elizabeth Hatton by Sir Edward Cook a Lady of transcending beauty but accused for wantonness Purbeck not well able to look down from these great heights got a giddiness in his head which confined him to a dark room Her other Son first made Sir Christopher Villiers was after created Earl of Anglesey whose honour mixt with a weak brain could not buoy him up from sinking into that distemper that drowns the best Wits Her Daughter presently after also shined in the same Sphere with her her Husband being from a private Gentleman made Earl of Denbigh Happy is he can get a Kinswoman it is the next way to a thriving Office or some new swelling Title The King that never much cared for Women had his Court swarming with the Marquesses kindred so that little ones would dance up and down the privy Lodgings like Pharies and it was no small sap would maintain all those suckers And now we have named Sir Thomas Compton there will follow a Story of his youthful Actions which though done long since will not be uncomly to croud in here He had the remark of a slow-spirited man when he was young and truly his Wife made him retain it to the last But such as found him so in those vigorous days of Duelling would trample on his easiness and there could not a worse Character be imprinted on any man than to be termed a Coward Among the rest one Bird a roaring Captain was the more bold and inâ—olent against him because he found him slow and backward which is a baseness of an over-daring nature and his provocations were so great that some of Compton's Friends taking notice of it told him It were better to die nobly â—nce than to live infamously ever and wrought so upon his cold temper that the next alfront that this bold Bird put upon him he was heartned into the Courage to send him a Challenge Bird a massy great Fellow confident of his own strength disdaining Compton being leâ—s both in Stature and Courage told the Second that brought the Challenge in a vapouring manner That he would not stir a foot to incounter Compton unless he would meet him in a Saw-pit where he might be sure Compton could not run away from him The Second that looked upon this as a Rodomontado fancy told him That if he would appoint the Place Compton should not fail to meet him Bird making choice bâ—th of the Place and Weapon which in the vain formality of Fighters was in the election of the Challenged he chose a Saw-pit and a single Sword where according to the time appointed they met Being both together in the Pit with swords drawn and stript ready for the encounter Now Compton said Bird thou shalt not escape from me aand hovering his sword over his head in a disdainful manner said Come Compton let 's see what you can do now Compton attending his business with a watchful eye seeing Bird's Sword hovering over him ran under it in upon him and in a moment run him through the body so that his pride fell to the ground and there did spraul out its last vanity Which should teach us that strong presumption is the greatest weakness and it is far from wisdom in the most arrogant Strength to slight and disdain the meanest Adversary There is yet in bleeding memory even in these Times of just severity against this impious Duelling one of the same Family of the Compton's in some part guilty of Bird's Crime for the Provoker to such horrid Encounters seldom escapes the Divine Iustice permitting such violent madness to tend to its own destruction But to return to our Story Prenobilis Henrici Comi Manchester DnuÌ„ Custodio Privati Sigil Anâ—â—ete But though the Marquess of Buckingham in appearance acted all these Removes and Advancements yet his Mother the Countess wrought them in effect for her hand was in all Transactions both in Church and State and she must needs know the disposition of all things when she had a feeling of every man's pulse for most Addresses were made to her first and by her conveyed to her Son for he looked after his pleasure more than his profit which made Gondemar who was well skilled in Court Holy-Water among other his witty pranks write merrily in his Dispatches into Spain That there was never more hope of England's Conversion to Rome than now for there are
unto your Lordships I hope I may say and justifie with Iob in these words I have not hid my sin as did Adam nor concealed my faults in my bosom This is the only justification which I will use It resteth therefore that without Fig-leaves I do ingenuously confess and acknowledge that having understood the Particulars of the Charge not formally from the House but enough to inform my conscience and memory I find matter sufficient and full both to move me to desert my defence and to move your Lordships to condemn and censure me Neither will I trouble your Lordships by singling those Particulars which I think might fall off Quid te exempla juvant spinis de pluribus Uva Neither will I prompt your Lordships to observe upon the proofs where they come not home or the scruple touching the credits of the Witnesses Neither will I represent to your Lordships how far a defence might in divers things extenuate the offence in respect of the time and manner of the guilt or the like circumstances But only leave these things to spring out of your more noble thoughts and observations of the Evidence and examinations themselves and charitably to wind about the Particulars of the Charge here and there as God shall put into your minds and so submit my self wholly to your piety and grace And now I have spoken to your Lordships as Iudges I shall say a few words unto you as Peers and Prelates humbly commending my Cause to your noble minds and magnanimous affections Your Lordships are not simply Iudges but Parliamentary Iudges you have a further extent of Arbitrary Power than other Courts and if you be not tied by ordinary course of Courts or Precedents in Points of strictnâ—ss and severity much less in Points of mercy and mitigation And yet if any thing which I shall move might be contrary to your honourable and worthy end the introducing a Reformation I should not seek it but herein I besech your Lordships to give me leave to tell you a Story Titus Manlius took his Son's life for giving Battail against the prohibition of his General Not many years after the lâ—ke severity was pursued by Papirius Cursor the Dictator against Quintus Maximus who being upon the point to be sentenced was by the intercession of some particular persons of the Senate spared Whereupon Livy maketh this grave and gracious observation Neque minùs firmata est Disciplina Militaris periculo Quinti Maximi quà m miserabili supplicio Titi Manlii The Discipline of War was no less established by the questioning of Quintus Maximus than by the punishment of Titus Manlius And the same reason is in the Reformation of Iustice For the questioning of men in eminent Places hath the same terrour though not the same rigour with the punishment But my Cause stays not there for my humble desire is that his Majesty would take the Seal into his hands which is a great downfall and may serve I hope in it self for an expiation of my faults Therefore if mercy and mitigation be in your Lordships power and no way cross your Ends why should I nâ—t hope of your favour and commiseration Your Lordships will be pleased to behold your chief pattern the King our Soveraign a King of incomparable clemency and whose heart is inscrutable for wisdom and goodness And your Lordships will remember there sate not these hundred years before a Prince in your House and never such a Prince whose presence deserveth to be made memorable by Records Acts mixt of mercy and justice Your selves are either Nobles and Compassion ever beateth in the veins of noble blood or Reverend Prelates who are the Servants of him that would not breâ—k the bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax. You all sit upon a high Stage and therefore cannot but be sensible of the changes of humane conditions and of the fall of any from high place Neither will your Lordships forget that there are Vitia Temporis as well as Vitia Hominis and the beginning of Reformation hath the contrary power to the pool of Bethesda for that had strength to cure him only that was first cast in and this hath strength to hurt him only that is first cast in And for my part I wish it may stay there and go no further Lastly I assure my self your Lordships have a noble feeling of me as a Member of your own Body and one that in this very Session had some taste of your loving Affections which I hope was not a lightning before the death of them but rather a spark of that Grace which now in the Conclusion will more appear And therefore my humble sute to your Lordships is That my penitent submission may be my sentence the loss of my Seal my punishment and that your Lordships would recommend me to his Majestie 's Grace and Pardon for all that is past God's holy Spirit be among you Your Lordships humble servant and suppliant Fran. St. Albans Can. April 22. 1621. Thus was his great spirit brought low and this humiliation might have raised him up again if his offences had not been so weighty as to keep him down He lost his Peerage and Seal and the Scale was wavering whether he should carry the Title of Viscount St. Albans to his grave and that was all he did having only left a poor empty being which lasted not long with him his honor dying before him And to heighten his misery the more many others were crushed to pieces by his fall for he had a vast debt lay upon him which they were forced to pay and though he had a Pension allowed him by the King he wanted to his last living obscurely in his Lodgings at Grays-Inn where his loneness and desolate condition wrought upon his ingenious and therefore then more melancholy temper that he pined away And had this unhappiness after all his height of plenitude to be denied Beer to quench his thirst For having a sickly taste he did not like the Beer of the house but sent to Sir Fulk Grevil Lord Brook in neighborhood now and then for a bottle of his Beer and after some grumbling the Butler had order to deny him So sordid was the one that advanced himself to be called Sir Sidnie's friend and so friendless was the other after he had dejected himself from what he was He was of a midling stature his countenance had indented with Age before he was old his Presence grave and comely of a high-flying and lively Wit striving in some things to be rather admired than understood yet so quick and easie where he would express himself and his Memory so strong and active that he appeared the Master of a large and plenteous store-house of Knowledge being as it were Nature's Midwife stripping her Callow-brood and clothing them in new Attire His Wit was quick to the last for Gondemar meeting him the Lent before his Censure and hearing of his Miscarriages thought to
command me to give you an account of my last Foreign Negotiation with the Emperour who you know being much exasperated with the invasion of Bohemia to which the King never gave incouragement in the attempt nor countenance in the Prosecution hath upon the advantage of his fortunate success there invaded into the inheritance of his Son the Palatine Whereupon I was directed by his Majestie 's Commission to treat if Peace might be compassed with fair endeavours to which the Emperour seemed very inclinable Albeit slow in giving Audience by reason that the Diet in Germany was deferred and he depended upon some answer from the Princes But in conclusion I received such satisfaction as promised Restitution of the Palatinate which only was granted by Commission to the Duke of Bavaria until it was setled by absolute Peace or further War And being addressed by the Emperour with Letters to the Duke of Bavaria wherein he wished his tractable condescent to all good Terms of Peace Upon which occasion I urged that I had Authority from the Count Palatinâ—e to cause the Count Mansfield to desist from War and likewise from the King to his Body of War under the Government of Sir Horatio Vere The Duke of Bavaria replied That he had becalmed Mansfield with great sums of money and when he is quiet my Peace is made To which scornful and slight reply somthing I answered and departed to the Infanta to Bruxels who seemed to understand by the Emperour's Letters that he did rather prepare for War then Peace and would give no direct answer till she heard from the King of Spain who I must ingenuously confess hath stood clear a Neutral according to his promise Yet is he now so strong prepared for War having at this instant five great Armies in motion that it will not mis-become the wisdom of the State to fear the worst And to conclude such hath been the care of the King for his own Honour and Son 's Right that he presumes you will cheerfully apply your selves to the necessity of the Times and this occasion and not only afford him aid for his present support but such further supply as may help to re-invest his Son into his inheritance Which Relation of Digbie's being seconded by some of the King 's great Minister of State who had instructions suitable to their Errand they let the Parliament know how justly and necessary it was and how forward the King would be to accomplish that by War which he could not recover by Peace and they set it off with all the slippery Oratory they could to draw in money for that being the main ingredient if that were provided the rest of the simples would easily be purchased to make up the Composition Thus the Kings suits and intreaties were slighted and disregarded abroad and his intentions suspected and feared at home Princes that do grasp Possessions with iron hands will not be smoothed out of them by fair words the Sword as it is the best determiner so it is the most honourable Treater And though the King incited the Parliament by these his Ministers to contribute towards a War yet they found his inclination bent towards Peace both in respect of Gondemar's power with him upon whose sandy promises he built a good Foundation of Hope and in regard of some Letters which the King had lately written to the King of Spain wherein great indulgencies were promised to the Papists whereby they saw he was too much transported with a desire to the Match And the King finding Digbie's indeavours fruitless in Germany intended to send him into Spain extraordinary Ambassador to that King whom he looked upon as the great Wheel that moved the others which way he pleased For he was resolved to close some way with the House of Austria either by Marriage or intreaty to peece and make up the Breach the War had made But the King had to do with cunning Gamesters that smiled to see how earnest he was at it for they had the sign given out of his hand and saw all the Game he played so faithless was the Councel about him The English in general except Papists were averse to this Match as boding some evil event because the Papists did prune themselves flutter up and down and spread their Trains so publickly This almost universal aversation of the people had a natural influence upon the Representative the Parliament who considering that the King by Digby and others did inform them how formidable the King of Spain was and did require them to apply themselves to the necessity of the Times and further him with help to re-invest his Son in his Inheritance thought there was no better means to be used than to try effectually the King's Spirit and stir him up to a war for so they should know which way their Money went at leastwise his mind before they tamely parted with it And therefore like wise Physicians that never prescribe letting blood but when it tends to the health of the Body first they shew the Causes of the Distempers and Evils that were to be feared Secondly what effects they were likely to produce And lastly the Remedies to prevent them in this Petition and Remonstrance Most Gracious and dread Soveraign VVE your Majestie 's most humble and loyal Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled in Parliament who represent the Commons of your Realm full of hearty sorrow to be deprived of the Comfort of your Royal Presence the rather for that it proceeds from the want of your health wherein We all unfainedly do suffer In all humble manner calling to mind your gracious answer to our former Petition concerning Religion which notwithstanding your Majesties pious and princely intentions hath not produced that good effect which the danger of these Times doth seem to us to require And finding how ill your Majesties goodness hath been requited by Princes of different Religion who even in time of Treaty have taken opportunity to advance their own Ends tending to the Subversion of Religion and disadvantage of your affairs and the Estate of your Children By reason whereof your ill-affected Subjects at home the Popish Recusants have taken too much incouragement and are dangerously increased in their Number and in their insolencies We cannot but be sensible thereof And thereof humbly represent what we conceive to be the Causes of so great and growing Mischiefs and what be the Remedies 1. The Vigilancy and Ambition of the Pope of Rome and his dearest Son the one aiming at as large a Temporal Monarchy as the other at a Spiritual Supremacy 2. The Devillish Positions and Doctrines whereon Popery is built and taught with authority to their Followers for advancement of their Temporal Ends. 3. The distressed and miserable Estate of the Professors of true Religion in Foreign parts 4. The disastrous Accidents to your Majesties Children abroad expressed with rejoycing and even with contempt of their Persons 5.
hot and intemperate Region to soom cool Considerations If he should yield by Silence or Connivence to this Protestation it would remain as an impregnable Bulwark for the people to Posterity And what is this terrible thing their just Liberties If he should oppose it with Rigor it might produce such an intestine Division at home as with all industry he strove to prevent abroad Break the Treaty with Spain he would not his Heart was too much set upon it for he could find no Protestant Princess good enough the high and elated Extraction of Kings will raise the people up to a kind of Adoration as the old Heathens did the Race of their Gods and Heroes Whereas true Honesty and piety finds out such matches as may as well bring Glory to God as to man not worldly Blessings only but heavenly also Lose the love of the people he was loth for he thought his peaceable Reign gained upon them and that no King had ever deserved better of a People than he But Peace is a kind of Soft Rayment or Masking-dress not always to be worn Standing lakes beget Corruption The Pool of Bethesda had no Virtue till it was stirred War is necessary as Physick for unsound Bodies Iustum id bellum quibus necessarium When the King had weighed every particular scruple by the Ballance of his own Reason and Councel about him he took a Resolution to dissolve the Parliament which he did by Proclamation the sixth of Ianuary being fifteen days after the Protestation was made so much time he measured out by the Scale of consideration before he would pull down such a Structure of Love as never was built by the people for any of his Predecessors which he implies in his Proclamation laying there all the blame upon the House of Commons and not on them in general but on some ill-tempered Spirits as he called them that sowed Tares among the Corn and frustrated the Hopes of a plentiful Harvest Striving by these imputations to take away the Odium that such a Dissolution might produce The Parliament and consequently the Union between the King and People being thus dissolved every man's tongue is let loose to run Riot And though the King loved Hunting above all other exercises and had many good Hunters about him yet all those and the Strength of a Proclamation put out to forbid talking of State Affairs could not restrain them from mouthing out That Great Britain was become less than little England that they had lost strength by changing Sexes and that he was no King but a Fidler's Son otherwise he would not suffer such disorders at home and so much dishonour abroad So dangerous it is for Princes by a stegmatick remisseness to slacken the ligaments of the peoples tongues for such an overflux of bad Humor may bring their obedience to a Paralytick And the Story of David Ricius written by the King 's own Tutor Buchanan had died in every English Opinion if it had not had a new Impression by these miscarriages Edward Herbert Lord Herbert of Castle â—Land and Lord Hâ—rbert of Câ—â—erbery in England The Earl of Oxford was betrayed and accused by one White a Papist who was vulgarly called after in derision by the Name of Oxford-White to have spoken some words to the Dishonour of the King and disparagement of his Government and was committed to the Tower The Earl of Southampton was also committed to the Dean of Westminster Oxford lay by it a great while and being an Active man the King sent him at last to Sea to be one of Buckingham's Vice-Admirals for the English Coast while Sir Robert Mansell guarded the Coasts of Spain from being infested with the Turks of Algier and Sally Sir Edward Cook that was looked upon as one of the great incendiaries in the House of Commons is put from the Council Table with disgrace The King saying he was the fittest instrument for a Tyrant that ever was in England And yet in the House he called the King's Prerogative a great Over-grown Monster And how can these agree Unless because the King would not take his counsel he hanged himself on the other side But whether the King had cause to say the one I know not but he it seems found cause enough to say the other Sir Thomas Crew Sir Dudly Digges Sir Nathaniel Rich and Sir Iames Perrot men of great Repute and knowledge active in the House were sent into Ireland and joyned with others in commission to inquire into Misdemeanors committed there but it was thought as a punishment for what they had committed here for they were long detained from their own occasions under the colour of an honorable imployment And Sir Peter Hammon of Kent and others were sent into the Palatinate This kind of punishment beginning now to be in fashion and not long after this Sir Iohn Savile the Knight of York-shire that carried all the Country at a Beck and a powerful Man in the House is taken off by the King made Comptroler of his Household a Privy Councellor and not long after a Baron so the King found out two ways of silencing those that were able to do him mischief Active Spirits that come too near him must either come nearer to him or be sent further from him which he doubts not will take off the edge and bate the sharpness of the Humor another time And these preferments and punishments were also practised by his successor with this Experiment in both that the most popular men as soon as they wore the Court Livery lost the love of the people but those that suffered for them were the more beloved and admired by them The Commons of England having more than an ordinary Genius to support and strengthen the pillars of their Liberties And as these Troubles bred disturbance at home so they begot discredit abroad for now by this Breach they undervalued the King's power as much as they did before his Spirit yea even in the King of Spain's own Towns whilst this beloved Treaty was in heat they in their Comedies presented Messengers bringing News in haste That the Palatinate was like to have a very formidable Army shortly on foot For the King of Denmark would furnish him with a hundred thousand picked Herrings the Hollanders with a hundred thousand Butter-boxes and England with a hundred thousand Ambassadors And they picture the King in one place with a Scabberd without a Sword In another place with a Sword that no body could draw out though divers stand pulling at it At Bruxels they painted him with his pockets hanging out and never a penny in them nor in his purse turned upside down In Antwerâ— they pictured the Queen of Bohemia like a poor Irish Mantler with her hair hanging about her ears and her child at her back with the King her father carrying the Cradle after her and every one of these Pictures had several Motto's expressing their Malice Such
with Recriminations which was not her manner heretofore The sleight and frivolous answer given by the Marquess of Bedmar unto Our Ambassador when he acquainted him with the Siege of Heidelburg The quarrellous occasion taken by the Emperor for calling the Diet at Ratisbone contrary to his own promise which in his dispatch to Us he confesseth to have broken as you will see by the Copy All which and many more which your own judgment in the perusal of the Dispatches will suggest unto you do minister unto Us cause sufficient of jealousie on the Emperor's part as you shall plainly tell that King although We will not do him that wrong as to mistrust that He gives the least consent to it In this confidence with much earnestness We shall still solicit him that for the affection he bears us and the desire which We suppose he hath that there may continue for ever a perfect Amity betwixt Us and the whole House of Austria he will not cease to do all good Offices herein letting him know directly that in these terms We cannot stand with the Emperor but that if Heidelburg be won or the Siege continue or the Cessation be long unnecessarily delayed We must recall Our Ambassador from Bruxels and treat no more as We have already given order hoping that whatsoever unkindness We shall conceive against the Emperor upon these occasions it shall not be interpreted to reflect in any sort upon the entire affection that is at this present and as We hope shall always continue betwixt Us and the Crown of Spain And therefore as we have heretofore sundry times promised in testimony of the sincerity of Our proceedings and of Our great Desire to preserve the Amity inviolable between Us and the whole House of Austria That in case Our Son-in-law would not be governed by Us that then we would not only forsake him but take part and joyn Our forces with the Emperor against him so you may fairly represent unto that King that in like manner we have Reason to expect the same Measure from him that upon the Emperor's averseness to a Cessation and Accommodation he will likewise Actually assist Us for the Recovery of the Palatinate and Electoral Dignity unto Our Son-in-law as it hath been often times intimated from Spain To conclude We shall not need to say any more unto you touching this Point but to let you see that Our meaning is to carry all things fair with that King and not to give him any cause of Distrust or jealousie if you perceive that they intend to go really and roundly on with the Match Wherein nevertheless we must tell you that we have no great Cause to be well pleased with the Diligences used on that part when we observe that after so long an expectance of the Dispensation upon which the whole business as they will have it depends there is nothing yet returned but Queries and Oâ—jections Yet because we will not give over Our Patience a while longer until we understand more certainly what the effect thereof is like to be wherein we require you to be very Wary and watchful considering how Our Honour is therein ingaged we have thought fit to let you know how far we are pleased to inlarge Our self concerning those points demanded by the Pope and set down by way of Postil unto the Articles agreed upon betwixt Spain and Us as you shall see by the Power which Gage brought Us from Rome whereof we have sent you a Copy and our Resolutions thereupon Signed with our own hand for your warrant and Instruction And further then that since we cannot go without much prejudice inconvenience and dishonour to our self and our Son we hope and expect the King of Spain will bring it instantly to an issue without further delay which you are to press with all Diligence and earnestness that you may presently know their final Resolution and what we may expect thereupon But if any Respit of time be earnestly demanded and that you perceive it not possible for them to resolve until an answer come from Rome we then think it fit that you give them two Months time after your Audience that we may understand that King 's final Resolution before Christmas next at the furthest Wansted 9. Sept. 1622. This Letter doth not only discover the shuffling and Fox-like contrivances of the House of Austria to Work and Earth themselves in the Palatinate but also the scorns and reproaches put upon Our King and if I may so call them his Terriers who with little Bayings only let them work till they had got into their Fastnesses and strong holds and then they may Bay at leisure and blame their lazy Belief But notwithstanding our King threatens in his Letter if Heidelberg be lost and the Cessation delayed he will Treat no more yet the Desire of the Match was so radicated in his Heart that neither the loss of Heidleberg or Manheim that succeeded it nor the blocking up of Frankendale the last strong hold of his Son-in-laws Inheritance could Mortifie his Hopes But as the Emperor besieged these Towns with his Armies so he beset the King of Spain with his Treaties And the Lord Digby though quickned by this Letter did not lay open the cunning carriage of these contrivers which tended to root out the reformed Religion in Germany nor press home these particulars as he was injoined but only let the King of Spain know That his late Father by the advice of his Ecclesiasticks in Spain had consented to the Articles of Marriage in matters of Religion five months since yet there were demurs upon those points notwithstanding that the King of Great Britain complied in all things then demanded particularly what he would do in favour of the Catholicks But now after two years time the Pope of his own Accord without any intimation to Spain had sent directly for England propounding to the King his Master not only many alterations in the Capitulations before a Dispensation could be granted but intruded something new which the King would by no means yield unto wherefore to expedite the Business the King having neglected all other Treaties of marriage for his Son these six years past only in respect of this Treaty he is commanded to declare plainly to the King of Spain how far the King his Master may condescend in matters of Religion and if that will give content to proceed to a conclusion of the Marriage without more Delays seeing he hath yielded to much more than was capitulated in the late King of Spain's time if this will not satisfie that then without loss of more time the King his Master may dispose of his Son and the King of Spain of the Infanta as they please These things were ruminated on by the slow paced Spanish gravity and fair and plausible answers presented that like fruits of Dissimulation gave but small Nourishment to hope yet it kept it alive though in a
so spacious that her said Servants and Family may enter and stay therein In which there shall be an ordinary and publique door for them and another inward door by which the Infanta may have a passage into the said Chappel where she and others as above said may be present at Divine Offices 9. That the Chappel Church and Oratory may be beautified with decent Ornaments of Altar and other things necessary for Divine Service which is to be celebrated in them according to the custom of the Ho. Ro. Church and that it shall be lawful for the said Servants and others to go to the said Chappel and Church at all hours as to them shall seem expedient 10. That the care and custody of the said Chappel and Church shall be committed to such as the Lady Infanta shall appoint to whom it shall be lawful to appoint Keepers that no body may enter into them to do any undecent thing 11. That to the administration of the Sacraments and to serve in Chappel and Church aforesaid there shall be so many Priests and Assistants as to the Infanta shall seem fit and the election of them shall belong to the Lady Infanta and the Catholike King her Brother Provided that they be none of the Vassals of the King of Great Britain and if they be his will and consent is to be first obtained 12. That there be one Superiour Minister or Bishop with necessary Authority upon all occasions which shall happen belonging to Religion and for want of a Bishop that his Vicar may have his Authority and jurisdiction 13. That this Bishop or Superiour Minister may correct amend or chastize all Roman Catholiks who shall offend and shall exercise upon them all Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical and moreover also the Lady Infanta shall have power to put them out of her service when soever it shall seem expedient to her 13. That it may be lawful for the Lady Infanta and her Servants to procure from Rome Dispensations Indulgences Jubilees and all Graces as shall seem fit to their Religion and Consciences and to get and make use of any Catholike Books whatsoever 15. That the Servants of the Family of the Lady Infanta who shall come into England shall take the Oath of Allegiance to the King of Great Britain provided that there be no clause therein which shall be contrary to their Consciences and the Roman Catholike Religion and if they happen to be Vassals to the King of Great Britain they shall take the same Oath that the Spaniard doth 16. That the Laws which are or shall be in England against Religion shall not take hold of the said Servants And onely the foresaid Superiour Ecclesiastical Catholike may proceed against Ecclesiastical persons as hath been accustomed by Catholikes And if any Secular Judge shall apprehend any Ecclesiastical Person for any offence he shall forthwith cause him to be delivered to the aforesaid Superiour Ecclesiastick who shall proceed against him according to the Canon-Law 17. That the Lawes made against Catholikes in England or in any other Kingdom of the King of Great Britain shall not extend to the Children of this Marriage and though they be Catholikes they shall not lose the Right of Succession to the Kingdom and Dominions of Great Britain 18. That the Nurses which shall give suck to the Children of the Lady Infanta whether they be of the Kingdom of Great Britain or of any other Nation whatsoever shall be chosen by the Lady Infanta as she pleaseth and shall be accounted of her Family and enjoy the priviledges thereof 19. That the Bishop Ecclesiastical Persons and Religious of the Family of the Lady Infanta shall wear the Vestment and Habit of his dignity profession and Religion after the custom of Rome 20. For security that the said Matrimony be not dissolved for any cause whatsoever The King of Great Britain and Prince Charles are equally to pass the Word and Honour of a King and moreover that they will perform whatsoever shall be propounded by the Catholike King for further confirmation if it may be done decently and fitly 21. That the Sons and Daughters which shall be born of this Marriage shall be brought up in the company of the most Excellent Infanta at least until the Age of Ten years and shall freely enjoy the Right of Succession to the Kingdoms as aforesaid 22. That whensoever any place of either Man-servant or Maid-servant which the Lady Infanta shall bring with her nominated by the Catholike King her Brother shall happen to be void whether by death or by other Cause or accident all the said Servants of her Family are to be supplied by the Catholike King as aforesaid 23. For security that whatsoever is Capitulated may be fulfilled The King of Great Britain and Prince Charles are to be bound by Oath and all the King's Council shall Confirm the said Treaty under their hands Moreover the said King and Prince are to give their Faiths in the Word of a King to endeavour if possible that whatsoever is Capitulated may be established by Parliament 24. That conformable to this Treaty all these things proposed are to be allowed and approved of by the Pope that he may give an Apostolical Benediction and a Dispensation necessary to effect the Marriage But though our King and Prince subscribed these Articles as they were sent to them by the Earl of Bristol in this manner Hos supra memoratos Articulos omnes ac singulos approbamus et quicquid in iis ex nostra parte seu nostro nomine conventum est ratum atque gratum habemus approving and expressing them to be very acceptable unto them And after they had wrought the King to sign these large immunities to the Papists viz. Quod Regnorum suorum Romano Catholici persecutionem nullam patientur molestiáve officientur Religionis suae causa vel ob exercitium illorum ejusdem sacramentorum modò iis utantur absque scandalo quod intelligi debet inter privatos parietes nec juramentis aut sub alio praetextu qualicunque ordinem Religionis spectante vexabuntur That the Roman Catholikes should not be interrupted in the exercise of their Religion doing it privately without Scandal nor be vext with any oaths in order to the same What rested but a closing of both Parties Yet all would not do for the Spaniard never intended the Match at all as is evident by a Letter of the King of Spain's written to his Favourite the Conde of Olivares dated the Fifth of November 1622. found among the Lord Cottington's Papers THe King my Father declared at his Death That his intent never was to marry my Sister the Infanta Donna Maria with the Prince of Wales which your Unkle Don Baltazer understood and so treated this Match ever with intention to delay it notwithstanding it is now so far advanced that considering all the aversness of the Infanta to it it is time to seek some means to divert the Treaty
which I would have you find out and I will make it good whatsoever it be But in all other things procure the satisfaction of the King of Great Britain who hath deserved much and it shall content me so it be not in the Match Thus was our King's plain heartedness deluded his Honour blemished his Love among his Subjects diminished the time for a positive answer for the Dispensation from Rome long expired and prolonged his Childrens Patrimony destroyed and he left so unsatisfied that the Prince himself and the Marquess of Buckingham must go into Spain to unfold this Riddle where they found it as full of Aenigma's as at first He that went to tye a knot there found it so intangled that he took some time there to clear it and when it was clear he thought it best Scindere nodum to cut that at last which he could not unloose at first The Marquess Spinola having long since left the Palatinate to the Imperials Generals with a great Army consisting of above Thirty thousand men the last Summer sits down before Berghen ap Zome a Town of very great Strength and Importance upon the Borders of Brabant and incloses himself with two strong Lines of Circumvallation notwithstanding all the Power the Town could oppose from within or Prince Maurice General of the States Army without And though he were well intrenched for his own Security yet the Works of the Town were so impregnable that he could find no way to gain it but by starving them and that could not be done but by commanding the River and those Batteries that he planted to hinder the access of Shipping with Relief into the Town were within reach of their Cannon so that he found there was little good to be done tending to the reducing of it This struck the Marquess to the Heart that he should bury his Honour as he had done a great part of his Army in those bloody Trenches and therefore he gave scope to his Resolution to make use of his time for he converted his intentions of Starving to Assaulting and his assaults were the more furious because he found they would not last long and Old Morgan that gallant Colonel with his English Brigade gave them their hands full the Scots did Gallant Service in the Town and their Colonel Hinderson was slain but many of the Enemy fell on every side for it is a great disadvantage for living Bodies to fight against dead Walls being so high and unassaultable A General that goes to besiege a City should have his access to it in his apprehension as plain as a Mathematician hath a Demonstration except it be upon some emergent cause otherwise there is an Error in his account and there cannot be two for the Honour dyes in the first which touched the Marquess near being his great trouble and made him and his enterprise both droop ERNESTUS D G COMES MANSFELDIAE MARCHIO CASTELINO VI ET BUTIGLIERAE NOB DNS IN HELD SUP DUX BELLIC ET HEROS FORT MARTE votens decus et dubijs siâ—sucia rebus ERNESTUS CAMPI VIR generosus nic est Qui genus illustri ducens à stirpe Parentum Auget honoratum per sua facta genus E. 〈◊〉 D.M.C.B. But with many Necessities in their March through Lorrain and Lutzenburgh they came to Fleury within eight miles of Namurs where Corduba with a Spanish Army strove to hinder their passage The Conflict was great betwixt them and many slain on both sides and both triumphed in the Victory For Corduba kept the Field and Mansfieldt kept his way But Mansfieldt's Victory was the compleatest because he attained to his End which was to break through Corduba But Corduba did not attain to his End which was to hinder Mansfieldt Yet the Spanish Bravery was highly exalted with Bonfires and rejoycings both at Madrid and Bruxels The Duke of Brunswicke lost his Bridle Arm in that service and many Gentlemen both English and Scots out of Love to the Queen of Bohemia behaved themselves gallantly and let the Spaniard know it was more than an ordinary shock they encountered with Among whom Sir Charles Rich brother to the E. of Warwick was a Principal person whose Voluntary Spirit not necessity made danger his Companion where Honour attended it Sir Iames Heyes Knevet Humes Heiborn and other Commanders striving for Corrivalship in Bravery Spinola hearing that Mansfieldt was broken through Corduba's Army and come into Brabant made the Court Splendor of Corduba's Conquest appear but Ignes fatui which also something extinguisht the glory of his own fame For he thought it good policy seeing he should be necessitated to leave the Siege of Berghen to do it at that time when there might be cause to think it occasioned by that Accident more than his default And therefore as soon as the Prince of Orange and Mansfieldt had joyned forces though Corduba came to him and reinforced his Army yet Winter drawing on and his Army almost wasted he trussed up his Baggage in haste set his Camp a-fire and departed leaving to his Hungry Enemies good store of Wine and other Provisions in his burning Quarters And thus stood the Ballance this year betwixt the King of Spain and the Netherlands But our King receiving so many delays and dissatisfactions from Spain and Rome they begot him so much trouble and Vexation that crowding into his thoughts prest upon his Natural Temper some fits of Melancholy which those about him with facetious Mirth would strive to Mitigate And having exhausted their inventions or not making use of such as were more pregnant the Marquess and his Mother instead of Mirth fell upon Prophaneness thinking with that to please him and perhaps they were only mistaken in the unseasonableness of the time being not then suitable to the Humor For they caus'd Mistris Aspernham a young Gentlewoman of the Kindred to dress a Pigg like a Child and the Old Countess like a Midwife brought it in to the King in a rich Mantle Turpin that married one of the Kindred whose name was renowned for a Bishop in the Romances of the Emperor Charlemain was drest like a Bishop in his Sattin Gown Lawn sleeves and other Pontifical Ornaments who with the Common Prayer book began the words of Baptism one attending with a silver Bason of Water for the Service the King hearing the Ceremonies of Baptism read and the squeeking noise of that Brute he most abhorred turned himself to see what Pageant it was and finding Turpin's face which he well knew drest like a Bishop and the Marquess whose face he most of all loved stand as a Godfather he cryed out away for shame what Blasphemy is this and turning aside with a frown he gave them cause to think that such ungodly Mirth would rather increase than cure his Melancholly Another time at Theobalds the King wanted some papers that had Relation to the Spanish Treaty so hot in Motion which raised him highly into the Passion of Anger
Letter which happily he might think would quicken the Pope to dispatch the Dispensation when he should find so little cause for Delayes by his closing so nearly with him Which whether out of Policy or Real intention cannot be asserted but the Letter was thus MOst Holy Father I received the Dispatch from your Holiness with great content and with that Respect which the Piety and care wherewith your Holiness writes doth require It was an unspeakable pleasure to me to read the Generous Exploits of the King 's my Predecessors to whose Memory Posterity hath not given those praises and Elogies of Honour that were due to them I do believe that your Holiness hath set their Example before my Eyes to the end that I might imitate them in all my Actions for in truth they have often exposed their Estates and Liâ—es for the Exaltation of the Holy Chair And the â—ouâ—â—ge with which they have assaulted the Enemies of the Cross of Iesus Christ hath not been less then the Care and thought which I have to the end that the Peace and Intelligence which hath hitherto been wanting in Christendom might be bound with a bond of true concord for like as the common Enemy of Peace watcheth alwayes to put Hatred and Dissention between Christian Princes so I believe that the Glory of God requires that we should endeavour to unite them And I do not esteem it a greater Honour to be descended from so great Princes then to imitate them in the Zeal of their Piety In which it helps me very much to have known the Mind and Will of our Thrice Honoured Lord and Father and the Holy Intentions of his Catholick Majesty to give a happy Concurrence to so laudable a Design For it grieves him extreamly to see the great Evil that grows from the Division of Christian Princes which the Wisdom of your Holiness foresaw when it judged the Marriage which you pleased to design between the Infanta of Spain and my self to be necessary to procure so great a good For 't is very certain that I shall never be so extreamly affectionate to any thing in the World as to endeavour allyance with a Prince that hath the same apprehension of the true Religion with my self Therefore I intreat your Holiness to believe that I have been alwayes far from encouraging Novelties or to be a Partisan of any faction against the Catholick Apostolick Roman Religion But on the contrary I have sought all occassions to take away the suspicion that might rest upon me and that I will imploy my self for the Time to come to have but one Religion and one Faith seeing that we all believe in One Jesus Christ. Having resolved in my self to spare nothing that I may have in the World and to suffer all manner of Discommodities even to the hazarding of my estate and life for a thing so pleasing unto God It rests only that I thank your Holiness for the permission which you have been pleased to afford me and that I may pray God to give you a blessed Health here and his Glory after so much travel which your Holiness takes within his Church Signed CHARLES STUART It may well be a Quere Whether this profession of the Prince in suffering all discommodities even to the Hazarding of Estate and Life did not rest upon him at his Death as may be said hereafter But there is a long Race for him to run before he come to that End It seems he had either a good Will to write this Letter or a bad Council to indite it or both conjoyned that were as careful to please the Pope as they were hopeful it would never come to see the light till the flame of it would be too visible For if the Prince intended Really when he had power to introduce Popery into England this Letter in a bloody colour too apparently would have been discovered and if his intentions were formal and only to close with the Pope for his present accommodation how black would every Character of this letter look to the Roman Rubrick and what a Tincture of Scandal would it leave upon the true Religion for Fallere fallentem may be a fit Motto for a bad man not a good Christian so that whatsoever his Intentions were the Act was evill And I could suspect it is a forged Letter but that it hath been asserted by so many Authors both at home and abroad The Pope finding by this letter and some other private intimations the Princes good affections to the Roman See thought it high time to dally no longer but to draw him altogether with the Cords of Love therefore he dispatches the Dispensation to his Nuntio at Madrid six months after the Prince's arrival there with a little Bob at the Tail of it yet to amuse them Which was That the King of Great Britain and the Prince should give Caution to perform what was stipulated between them and the King of Spain especially in those Articles which were in favour of the Roman Catholicks in England and other his Majestie 's Dominions Requiring at least some Soveraign Catholick Prince should engage for them by oath This made some little demur for being sent into England the King answered That he could give no other Caution but his own and the Princes Royal Words and Oaths Confirmed by his Council of State and Exemplified under the great Seal of England But this would not satisfie Therefore the King of Spain undertook it and it was thought a Spanish Device That by undertaking such an engagement he might not only the more endear himself to the King of Great Britain and to the Prince his Brother but have a more colourable pretext to make War against England if the Roman Catholicks there had not full satisfaction and freedom according to the Articles and the King of Spain knowing or assureing himself that no Catholick Prince would take such an Oath offered himself to satisfie the Pope And a Committee of Ecclesiasticks in Spain were appointed to debate the Case in Relation to the King's conscience whether he might take such an Oath for them and they being doubtless resolved on it before concluded Affirmatively And that if the King of Great Britain and Prince should fail in the performance of these Capitulations the King of Spain might save his Oath by vindicating the Breach thereof upon them with his Sword And now this Monster-difficulty being overcome by the Spanish Bravery the very same time Articles that our King and Prince had signed as are before related were sent into England for our King and his privy Council to swear to and there was not a Rub left for either party to stumble at But whilst these things were in motion in Spain they were much regretted and badly resented in England The Spirit almost of the whole Nation being averse to this Union which made many vent their Passion by their Pens as well as their tongues Amongst the rest the Archbishop of
but dallie with him left a Proxie with Bristol to conclude the Match when the Dispensation came which the Prince forbad him to deliver Bristol nevertheless proceeds and if Gresley had not brought a Revocation of the Proxie from the King over night Bristol had made the Espousalls the next day And alwaies at the end of every point he would look upon the Prince for his approbation and allowance who still as the Duke went on confirmed the same And so Buckingham concluded that if the drawing of us out of Darkness into Light did deserve thanks we all owed it to the Prince who by the Hazard of his Person and by his great care and industry had done this for Us. The Parliament that looked upon the Duke with a Sour Eye for tempting the Prince to so dangerous a journey when they found what excellent effects it had produced forgot the Old Murmurs buzzed against him and with elevated Voices could scarce be contained from acknowledging him The Preserver of the Nation This his discovery is Cryed up every where and who but the Duke is become the Darling of the Multitude So dear then was the Prince unto the People that they tendred his safety as their own and so easily might he have retained his Love if by grasping after Shadows he had not lost the Substance For those people are the soonest deceived that love most to admire The Parliament were but men and could at present see no more than the Duke was pleased to shew them through the flattering glass of this Relation But when Bristol came over and as afterwards he did discover that the Duke carried the Prince purposely into Spain to be the better instructed in Popery That he gave hope to the Spanish Ministers of State of the Prince's Conversion which made them propound far worse Conditions for Religion than had been formerly agreed on That he professed himself a Papist there going to Mass kneeling to and adoring their Sacraments which the Pope being informed of sent the Duke a Bull to perswade and incourage him to pervert the King and Prince with other pernicious Crimes laid to his Charge in the next King's reign as may appear in due time None can blame the People for Mutable affections for when false-hood is so impudent as to hoodwink such an Assembly with the vail that Truth her self is wont to put on who can at an instant discover it But it was a hard Condition for the banished Palatine to have such Mediators as Buckingham Bristol and Weston to make intercession for him the Temper of whose Spirits was well known and which way their affections tended But now the load is all laid upon Bristol though he were at the distance of not being sensible of it yet it was so heavy that most Men thought he would never come to have it taken off But all things were passed over by the Parliament that reflected upon particulars having in their eye the general good of the Kingdom which they strove to manage with advantage And the Treaty of the Marriage with Spain being put into their hands they crushed the brood in the nest advising the King to break the Treaty and proclaim open War with that King Which they did not do suddainly as if they had been eager upon a War but with good advice and deliberate consideration as the most immediate means for the establishment of Religion and setled Peace protesting to assist the King for the regaining of the Palatinate with their lives and fortunes Upon which Declaration and Resolution the King determined to send instantly post into Spain to his Ambassadors to signifie to that King that the Parliament advised him to break off the Treaties and to recover the Palatinate by War and the Post had his Dispatch to that purpose when the King repented him of what he had done and like the Husband how jealous of his Wife writes to Secretary Conway this Letter to impede and delay the Business I doubt not but you have heard what a stinging Petition against the Papists the Lower House have sent to the Higher House this day that they might joyntly present it to me you know my firm Resolution not to make this a War of Religion And seeing I would be loth to be Conny-catcht by my People I pray you stay the Post that is going into Spain till I meet with my Son who will be here to morrow morning Do it upon pretext of some more Letters ye are to send by him and if he should be gone hasten after him to stay him upon some such pretext and let none living know of this as ye love me and before two in the afternoon to morrow you shall without fail hear from me Farewell Apr. 3 1624. By this Letter it appears that the King thought the Petition against Recusants of such high consequence that if he should not give the Parliament a good answer it might make a Rupture with them and therefore he will see further in the Nature of this Petition before he will break with the King of Spain and know more of the Prince his Son's mind happily whether he would yet accept of his Old Mistris or expect a new one Or whether the King feared that the Parliament would not make good their Promises to stand with their lives and fortunes in the Gap when this great Breach was made and so cousen him may be Mystical Conjectures from Mystical Expressions grounded upon the Words of a King Or whether any or all of these like the King's Heart inscrutable are meant in the Letter is not here determined But the King hastens to the House and finding no such terrible things in the Petition the Lords being not so quick in the Resolution of it as the King was in the apprehension of it he stirs not those Waters but sounds the depth of the Parliaments Intentions by propounding his Doubts and requiring a solution to them in order to a War with prudence and caution My Lords and Gentlemen all I have cause first to thank God with my heart and all the faculties of my mind that my speech which I delivered in Parliament hath taken so good effect among you as that with an Unamine consent you have freely and speedily given me your advice in this great Business for which I also thank you all as heartily as I can I also give my particular thanks to the Gentlemen of the lower House for that I hear when some among them would have cast jealousies and doubts between me and my people you presently quelled those Motions which might have hindred the happy agreement I hope to find in this Parliament You give me your advice to break off both the Treaties as well concerning the Match as the Palatinate And now give me leave as an old King to propound my Doubts and hereafter give me your answer First it is true that I who have been all the dayes of my life
or wary in such an Eruption as this so contrary to his Nature as he saith himself a War was a new World to him fearing to lay out by it more than he should receive And in this he was like the Man that when his Master gave great Charge to go and gather up his Rents in the Country and to take a pair of Pistols with him to bring home his Money with the more security After the Master had appointed him to pay so much in one place and so much in another that the Man saw he should not receive so much as he should disburse Bid his Master take his Pistols again he should not use them So the King fearing that when the War was begun there would not be where withal to maintain it Thanked the Parliament for their Advice and he would consider better of it And they seeling the King's Pulse by his expressions resolved now not to let him flag but to keep up the temper of his Spirit that a little thing would make decline again And therefore they seriously settled to their Business and answered his Expectation fully which they presented unto him shortly after in these words to his great Satisfaction Most Gracious Soveraign WE your Majesties most Humble and Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled do first render to your Sacred Majesty Our most Dutiful Thanks for that to Our unspeakable Comfort you have vouchsafed to express your Self so well satisfied with Our late Declaration made unto your Majesty of Our general Resolution in pursuit of Our Humble Advice to assist your Majesty in a Parliamentary way with Our Persons and Abilities And whereas your Majesty in your Great Wisdom and Iudgment foreseeing that it will make a deeper impression both in the Enemies of that Cause and in your Friends and Allies if they shall not onely hear of the Cheerful Offers but also see the Real performance of your Subjects towards so great a Work Your Majesty was pleased to descend to a particular Proposition for the advancing of this great Business We therefore in all humbleness most ready and willing to give your Majesty and the whole World an ample Testimony of Our Sincere and Dutiful Intentions herein upon Mature Advice and Deliberation as well of the Weight and Importance of this great Affair as of the present Estate of this your Kingdom the Weal and Safety whereof is in Our Iudgments apparently threatned if your Majesties Resolution for the Dissolving of the Treaties now in question be longer deferred and that Provision for defence of your Realm and aid of your Friends and Allies be not seasonably made have with a Cheerful Consent of all the Commons no one dissenting and with a Full and Cheerful Consent of the Lords Resolved That upon your Majesties publique Declaration for the Dissolution and utter Discharge of both the said Treaties of the Marriage and the Palatinate in pursuit of Our Advice therein and towards the Support of that War which is likely to ensue And more particularly for those four Points proposed by your Majesty Namely for the Defence of this your Realm the Securing of Ireland the assistance of your Neighbours the States of the United Provinces and other your Majesties Friends and Allies and for the setting forth of your Royal Navy We will grant for the present the greatest Aid which ever was given in Parliament That is to say Three intire Subsidies and three Fifteens to be all paid within the compass of one whole Year after your Majestie shall be pleased to make the said Declaration The Money to be paid into the Hands and expended by the Direction of such Committees or Commissioners as hereafter shall be agreed upon at this present Session of Parliament And We most humbly beseech your Majesty to accept of these First Fruits of Our Hearty Oblation dedicated to that Work which We infinitely desire may prosper and be advanced And for the Future to rest confidently assured That We your Loyal and Loving Subjects will never fail in a Parliamentary way to assist your Majestie in so Royal a Design wherein your Own Honour and the Honour of your most Noble Son the Prince the Antient Renown of this Nation the Welfare and very Subsistence of your Noble and Onely Daughter and her Consort and their Posterity the Safety of your Own Kingdom and People and the Prosperity of your Neighbours and Allies are so deeply ingaged The Parliament by this Declaration came up so close to the King that he could make no evasion but rested contented now in his Latter time when the Almonds as it were begun to Blossom upon his head to plunge himself into a War which brought him again to the Parliament to thank them for their Readiness to assist him telling them That he is willing to follow their advice in the Anulling and Breach of these two Treaties They having given enough to begin a War but when the end will be he said God knows Yet he will ingage for himself and his Son his Successour That no means shall be left unused for recovery of the Palatinate And for all his Old Age if it might do any good he would go in person to further the Business But as he is contented to have the Parliament Committees to dispose of the Moneys by their Directions so the Design must not be acted by publique Councels For whether he shall send Two thousand or Ten thousand whether by Sea or Land East or West by Diversion or Invasion upon the Bavarian or the Emperor that must be left to the King And this he did that there might be no jealousies but to smooth every Rub betwixt them And to put it in execution a Council of War is chosen out of the old and long discontinued Militia of Ireland and some others of the Nobility and upon result of their Counsels after some debate it was concluded to send fix thousand men for the present into the Low Countreys to joyn with the States Forces against the King of Spain's mighty Armies under the command of Marquess Spinola that threatned the next Summer to over-run the Netherlands that weakning the Spaniard in Flanders they might have the more free access into Germany The Dissolution of the Treaties with Spain and the preparation for War resounding in every Ear gave such an Allarm to the Spanish Ambassadour the Marquess of Inoiosa that whether out of Truth and Knowledge as he pretended or Malice only cannot be determined But he sent to the King to let him know that the Duke of Buckingham had some dangerous Machination a foot that tended to his Destruction and the best he could expect would be a confinement to a Countrey-house in some Park during his life the Prince being now in full abilities and ripe in Government This Concussion was strong enough to shake an old Building that was of a fearful and tottering Temper especially if he considered how his Mother was