bless and sanctify by thy Word and Spirit these Creatures of Bread and Wine that they may be to us THE BODY AND BLOOD of thy beloved Son In a word the Scots affirmed that all the material Parts of the Mass-Book were seminally in this and they could not relish it that Laud and his Set of English Bishops should urge them to a Liturgy more Popish than their own and observed that for Vnity they were content to meet Rome rather than Scotland The Book being read by a Bishop in the City of Edinburgh the People expressed great detestation thereof and the Bishop who read it had probably been slain coming out of the Church had not a Noble-man rescued him The Nobility Gentry and Ministers petitioned against it The King threatned to prosecute them as Rebels and commanded the Council to receive no more Petitions Thereupon several of the Nobility in the Name of the Petitioners made a Protestation that the Service-Book was full of Superstition and Idolatry and ought not to be obtruded upon them without consent of a National Synod which in such Cases should judg That it was unjust to deny them Liberty to accuse the Bishops being guilty of High Crimes of which till they were cleared they did reject them as Judges or Governours of them They justified their own Meetings and subscribing to Petitions as being to defend the Glory of God the King's Honour and Liberties of the Realm The Scots concluded to renew the COVENANT which had been made and sealed under King James 's Hand in the Year 1580 afterwards confirmed by all the Estates of the Kingdom and Decree of the National Synod in 1581 THIS COVENANT was for the Defence of the PVRITY OF RELIGION and the King's Person and Rights against the Church of Rome This was begun in February 1638 and was so fast subscribed throughout the Kingdom that before the end of April he was scarce accounted one of the Reformed Religion that had not subscribed the Covenant The Non Covenanters were Papists not exceeding 600 in number throughout the Kingdom Statesmen in Office and Favour at that time and some few Protestants who were affected to the Ceremonies of England and Book of Common Prayer The King sent the Marquess of Hamilton to deal with the Scots to renounce their Covenant but they affirmed It could not be done without manifest Perjury and Profanation of God's Name and insisted to have the Service-Book utterly abolished it being obtruded against all Law upon them That their Meetings were lawful and such as they would not forsake until the Purity of Religion and Peace might be fully settled by a free and National Synod And they declared THAT THE POWER OF CALLING A SYNOD IN CASE THE PRINCE BE AN ENEMY TO THE TRVTH OR NEGLIGENT IN PROMOTING THE CHVRCHES GOOD IS IN THE CHVRCH IT SELF And that the State of the Church at that time necessitated such a course The King at length fearing lest the Covenanters if he delayed would do it themselves called a National Synod to begin at Glasgow the 21st of November 1638 but within seven days it was dissolved by the Marquess of Hamilton in the King's Name and they commanded to sit no more But they protested against that Dissolution and continued the Synod when the Marquess of Hamilton was gone and deposed all the Bishops condemned the Liturgy took away the High-Commission Court and whatsoever had crept into the Church since the Year 1580 when the NATIONAL COVENANT was first established When they themselves broke up the Synod they wrote a Letter of Thanks to the King and published a Declaration Feb. 4. 1638 directed to all the sincere and good Christians in England to vindicate their Actions and Intentions from those Aspersions which Enemies might throw upon them This Declaration was welcome to the People of England in general and especially to those who stood best affected to the Reformed Religion and the Laws and Liberties of their Country In fine the Scots are declared Rebels and the King in Person with an English Army resolved to chastise them But The generality of the Nation detested the War knowing that the Scots were innocent and wronged by the same Hand that they were oppressed and they concluded that the same Sword which subdued the Scots must destroy their own Liberties Yet glad they seem'd to be that such an Occasion happen'd which might in reason necessitate the King to call an English Parliament but whilst he could make any other shift how low and dishonourable soever he would not endure to think of a Parliament He borrowed great Sums of Money of the Nobility and required Loans of others and the CLERGY contributed liberally to this VVar which was called BELLVM EPISCOPALE THE BISHOPS WAR The King being animated to the War by the Bishops both of England and Scotland the last perswading him that the COVENANTERS were in no sort able to resist him that scarce any English Army at all would be needful to fight but only to appear and his MAJESTY would find a Party great enough in SCOTLAND to do the VVork He thereupon raised a gallant Army which rendezvouzed at York The Scots likewise to render the King unwilling or unable to be a Tyrant levied a brave Army which advanced forward under the Command of General Lesley They nevertheless continued their first course of Petitioning the King which being favoured by almost all the Nobility of England at last by the happy Mediation of those Wife and Noble Counsellors a PACIFICATION to the great Joy of all good Men was solemnly concluded on the 18th of June 1639 and the King granted them a free National Synod to be holden August 6 and a Parliament to begin the 20th to ratify what the Synod should decree Hereupon the English and Scots returned home praising God who without any effusion of Blood had compounded this Difference and prevented a War so wickedly design'd But Shortly after the King's return to London his Heart was again estranged from the Scots and thoughts of Peace and he commanded the PACIFICATION to be burnt by the Hands of the common Hangman An Act than which nothing could more blemish his Reputation as rendring him not to be believed for any thing For what Tie would hold him when the Engagement of his Word his Royal VVord given in sight of God and Man could not bind And having upon the 18th of December broke up the Scotch Parliament he began to prepare for a new VVar. The Scots complained that it was a Breach of their Liberties not heard of before in twenty Ages That a Parliament should be dissolved without their Consent whilst Business of Moment was depending That whatsoever Kings in other Kingdoms might do it concerned not them to enquire but it was absolutely against their Laws They hereupon sent four Earls as their Commissioners to the King to complain that nothing was performed which he had promised at the PACIFICATION and to intreat redress of those Injuries which had
A LETTER FROM General Ludlow TO Dr. Hollingworth Their Majesties Chaplain AT St. Botolph-Aldgate Defending his former Letter to Sir E. S. which compared the Tyranny of the first Four Years of King Charles the Martyr with the Tyranny of the Four Years of the late Abdicated King And vindicating the Parliament which began in Novemb. 1640. Occasioned by the Lies and Scandals of many bad Men of this Age. Veritas emerget Victrix I acknowledg it were better if we could have Job's Wish That this Day should perish that Darkness and the Shadow of Death should cover it that it should not see the dawning of the Day nor should the Light shine upon it It were better to strike it out of our Kalendar and to make our January determine at the 29th and add these remaining Days to February Dr. Burnet Bishop of Salisbury his Sermon at St. Laurence Church London January 30 1680. AMSTERDAM Printed Anno Dom. 1692. To all sincere Lovers of OLD ENGLAND Inhabiting in the Parish of St. Botolph-Aldgate London Dear Countrymen 'T Was a great Man's Saying That EVERY CLERGY-MAN is not qualified to sustain the Dignity of the Church's Jester That therefore before Men be admitted to so important an Employment it were fit that they underwent a severe Examination and that it might appear 1. Whether they have ANY SENSE for without that how can they pretend and yet they do to be Ingenuous Then Whether they have ANY MODESTY for without that they can only be SCURRILOUS and IMPUDENT Next Whether ANY TRUTH for true Jests are those that do the greatest Execution And lastly 'T were not amiss that they gave some Account too of their CHRISTIANITY For the World has always hitherto been so uncivil as to expect something of that from the CLERGY in the Design and Stile even of their lightest and most uncanonical Writings But With very little regard to these two dull Books have been lately obtruded upon the World by one and the same Author as I am assured The one under the Title of A DEFENCE of King Charles the First OCCASIONED by the Lies and Scandals of many bad Men of this Age By RICHARD HOLLINGWORTH D. D. THEIR MAJESTIES CHAPLAIN at St. Botolph-Aldgate The other called A VINDICATION of their Majesties Wisdom in the late nomination of some Reverend Persons to the vacant Arch-Bishopricks and Bishopricks OCCASIONED by the scandalous Reflections of unreasonable Men By A MINISTER of London Now This Author having sought these OCCASIONS to be troublesome and declaring a doughty Resolution that he will be further so rather than lose the Lechery of his Scribling and the vain Glory of his Pedantry 't is fit that such an arrogant Levite who seats himself in * Epistle Dedicatory to the Defence a Juncto with their Majesties to consult wisely how to preserve them from a People who mean them no Harm should be a little animadverted upon which task I undertook after I found that Persons of better Ability would not trouble themselves with such contemptible Pamphlets I had prepared and did purpose to have sent with this some Remarks upon the pretended Vindication of their Majesties Wisdom but finding that my Notes upon the Doctor 's Defence of King Charles the First are swell'd beyond the Bulk which I intended I have laid aside those Remarks till I have occasion to write again to this mighty Vindicator When I wrote to Sir E. S. this time twelve-Month I only discours'd of the King 's first Four Years and did intend if ever I wrote further upon that Subject to have proceeded regularly with the succeding Years of his Tyranny but having engaged my self to follow the Doctor in his Ramblings I could not at present pursue my Intention but may hereafter do it Having resolved to make this Address to you my honoured Countrymen I will take the liberty to observe two or three things which are omitted in my Letter to the Doctor He saith pag. 3. That great Numbers call this King a Tyrant and A PAPIST too though he so stronuously asserted and pleaded the Protestant Cause as it is professed by THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND That means THEIR PARTY Now that he highly favoured POPERY is most evident and to what I have already offered to evince the Truth of that Charge I do add these Instances I have told the Aldgate-Chaplain that this King by a Letter to the Pope saluted Antichrist with the Title of Most holy Father That Letter from the beginning to the end savours of Popery For 1. He professes therein that nothing could affect him so much as AN ALLIANCE with a Prince that had the same apprehensions of THE TRUE RELIGION with himself That was the KING of SPAIN A NOTABLE PROTESTANT 2. He calls Popery THE CATHOLICK APOSTOLICK Roman RELIGION all other NOVELTY and FACTION 3. He protests he did not esteem it a Matter of greater Honour to be descended from great Princes than to imitate them in the Zeal of their Piety who had often exposed their Estate and LIVES for THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS 4. He solemnly engaged to the Pope to spare nothing in the World and to suffer all manner of Discommodities even TO THE HAZARDING OF ESTATE AND LIFE for to settle a thing so pleasing to God as UNITY WITH ROME Behold what a good Sign of PROTESTANTISM here hangs at the King's Door Moreover when the Pope's Nuncio delivered a Letter to him from the Pope wherein PROTESTANTS are called MONSTERS of HERESIES and the King was invited to return the Possession of these most noble Isles to the PRINCE OF THE APOSTLES He expressed himself in these words I KISS HIS HOLINESS FEET for the Favour and Honour he doth me so much the more esteemed by how much the less deserved of me HITHERTO And HIS HOLINES SHALL SEE WHAT I DO HEREAFTER So that his Holiness shall not repent him of what he hath done He was as good as his word here passed to the Pope as all the World afterwards saw Tho that most horrid IRISH REBELLION broke out the 23d of October 1641. the Lords and Commons who complained that it was framed and cherish'd in England could not obtain a Proclamation to declare those blcody Miscreants Traitors till January ensuing and then the following Warrant went to the King's Printer from his Secretary of State IT is his Majesty's Pleasure that you forthwith print in very good Paper and send unto me for his Majesty's Service forty Copies of the Proclamation inclosed leaving convenient space for his Majesty to sign above and to affix the Privy Signet underneath And HIS MAJESTY'S EXPRESS COMMAND IS THAT YOU PRINT NOT ABOVE THE SAID NUMBER OF FORTY COPIES and forbear to make any further Publication of them till his Pleasure be further signified for which this shall be your Warrant Whitehall January 2 164â— Edw. Nicholas See here what special care was taken that a few only should come to the knowledg of this Proclamation which was at that time more
to say that those words were not only consonant to his Speech then made in Parliament but agreeable to the constant Tenour of his whole Life even unto the last Period His Father and Mother lived and died pious Protestants such was his Religious Lady and such are his Grand-Children at this day This Lord Conway was Knighted at the taking of Cadiz in Spain in the time of Queen Elizabeth he was afterwards for many Years Governour of the Brill in Holland where he and his Family lived as became zealous Protestants and greatly beloved and esteemed by the Protestant Magistrates and Ministers of that Town He was greatly favoured by the never to be forgotten MOST PIOUS PRINCE HENRY When the Brill and other Cautionary Towns were delivered to the Dutch upon his return into England he was imployed to Jersey to compose some Differences there which he performed to so much Satisfaction that the good Protestants of that Place always mentioned him with Honour He was then sent Ambassador to Germany in behalf of the King and Queen of Bohemia and was very acceptable to those UNHAPPILY DESERTED Protestant Princes Upon his return to England the Spanish-Match was warmly press'd against which he spake with so much Reason and Courage that the Duke of Buckingham who for particular ends resolved to ruin that Project introduced him as a proper Instrument for that purpose to be Principal Secretary of State In that Station he refused many great Gifts tendred to him by particular Persons and 10000 l. Sterling offer'd and press'd upon him by the Spanish Ambassador In the beginning of King Charles I. Reign at the opening of one of those Parliaments and according to the Custom then the Holy Communion being to be received by both Houses of Parliament by the Contrivance of some LAUDEANS the SACRAMENT was offered to the Lords in Henry the Seventh's Chappel NOT IN BREAD BUT IN WAFERS This Lord Conway was one of the Lords who refused the Wafers and caused them to be taken away and Bread to be brought * He that would not make the necessary Advances to Rome was to be neither Secretary nor Minister of State to King Charles I. Not long after K. Charles I. sent for the Seals of the Secretary's Office from him which as the Lord imployed in that Message would often say the Lord Conway delivered with an admirable Generosity becoming indeed one that in that Ministry of State had served the Publick with extraordinary Ability and Integrity had performed many noble Offices to particular Persons without Injury to any and left that Place and some others of great Profit without one Farthing advantage to the State of his Family When he was upon his Death-Bed a Lady of great Wit who was turned Papist and was the Widow of a near Relation of his Lordship very subtilly and earnestly press'd upon him concerning his Religion whereupon he strengthened himself and made full Profession of his firm Stedfastness in the Reformed Protestant Religion caus'd the Servants to convey this Lady out of his House and commanded them not to suffer any of that Religion to come to him And now Doctor I assure you at parting That as fast as you shall convince me of any Error or Mistake committed in my Scriblings about your Martyr I shall as openly and frankly retract it as I have now done this which relates to my Lord Conway Might I be made so happy as to find a sutable return from you and that you would give a free and impartial Liberty to the use of your own Reason I would yet hope that we might mutually conclude as I now do Your Friend in and for the Truth Edmund Ludlow Amsterdam Jan. 30 1691 2. FINIS A Table of some remarkable Things in this Book KIng Charles I. favouring Popery and dispensing with the Laws c. Page 3 His Bishops cherished Popery and discountenanced conformable Orthodox Ministers Page 3 Montague one of his Chaplains endeavoured to reconcile England to Rome made a Bishop Page 4 The King 's lending Ships to the French to destroy the Protestants of Rochel Page 4 Ship-Money Loan Coat and Conduct-Money required and the Refusers imprisoned and impress'd to serve at Sea Page 4 Archbishop Abbot suspended and confined By Williams disgraced and imprisoned Page 5 Sir Randolph Crew Lord Chief Justice displas'd Page 5 Tonnage and Poundage levied against Law Page 5 Earl of Bristol confined Page 6 Earl of Arundel imprison'd Page 6 Duke of Buckingham protected against the Parliament Page 6 Members of Parliament imprison'd Page 6 Sir John Elliot's Death in the Tower Page 7 The King 's threatning Speeches in Parliament Page 7 His Speech at the Meeting of the Parliament Nov. 1640. Page 11 Bishops obtruded upon Scotland against their Laws Page 12 Laud framed a Common-Prayer for Scotland and sent it to be approved by the Pope Page 12 The Scots protest against it Page 13 King James I. took the Scotish Covenant in the Year 1580. Page 13 The Scots renewed that Covenant in the Year 1638. Page 13 14 The Scots require to have the Liturgy abolished and to have a National Synod Page 14 A Synod called and dissolved by the King the Scots protest against the Dissolution and continue it Page 14 The King resolves upon a War against Scotland Page 14 That War called Bellum Episcopale Page 15 The Scots raise an Army Page 15 A Pacification concluded the King soon after burns it by the Hangman's hands Page 15 Scotish Commissioners sent to the King imprisoned Page 16 A Parliament called in April 1640 and dissolved Page 16 Members imprisoned Page 17 Clergy and Bapists contribute to a second War against Scotland Page 17 Sir Nicholas Rainton Sir Stephen Soame and other eminent Citizens imprison'd for refusing a Loan Page 17 The Scots possess themselves of Newcastle and Durham Page 17 The Lords at York petition for a Parliament Page 18 Cessation of Arms with the Scots Page 18 Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts suppress'd by Act of Parliament Page 21 Poll-money granted Page 21 Dr. Leighton's Censure in the Star-Chamber Page 22 Mr. Pryn's Dr. Bastwick's and. Mr. Burton's Censures and horrid Oppressions by Archbishop Laud. Page 24 25 Those Sentences declared illegal in Parliament Page 27 Ship-Money illegal Page 27 Lord Keeper Finch impeach'd of High-Treason about Ship-Money and flies Page 28 The many Exorbitances and Oppressions of the Bishops Page 28 Twelve of them impeach'd of Treason and all removâ—â— from the Lords House Page 29 The Earl of Strafford impeach'd and attâ—inted of Treason Page 30 Bills for Triennial Parliaments and for continuing the present Parliament passed Page 31 Conspiracy to bring the Army against the Parliament discovered Page 32 The King had a Million and half of Money in the first Year of the Parliament 1640. Page 35 The Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Dec. 1641. Page 35 The Tumults and Riots in 1641. Page 37 An Account of the occasion of those Tumults Page 41 The King accuses the Lord Mandeville and five Members of Treason Page 37 He goes to the House of Commons with an armed Force and demands the five Members Page 37 The Commons demand a Guard Page 38 The Case of the five Members discussed Page 38 The King leaves White-hall Page 42 The Parliament petitions him at Theobalds to return Page 42 They send a Declaration to him to Newmarket praying his return and the putting the Militia into safe hands Page 43 His Answer about the Militia Page 46 His sending to the King of Denmark for Aid against the Parliament Page 47 He invited the Scots against them Page 47 The Queen buys Arms in Holland Page 47 Names of the Peers recommended by the Parliament to be entrusted with the Militia Page 47 The Lords and Commons petition about the Militia Page 48 Their Ordinance for ordering the Militia Page 48 The Proceedings of the Parliament with King Richard the Second Page 49 The Lords and Commons petition the King at York to return Page 50 The King summons the Gentry to York and requires them to raise him a Guard Page 50 They petition him to return to the Parliament Page 50 Petition of many thousand Freeholders of Yorkshire Page 50 The King requires the Gentlemen c. of Yorkshire to attend him in Arms. Page 51 The Lords and Commons vote that the King Intends to raise War and that it is a Breach of his Trust and that such as assist him in that War are Traitors Page 52 They vote the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex Page 52 Their Petition to the King to return Page 52 The King's Speech at the head of his Army Page 54 The Petition of the Parliament sent by the Earl of Essex Page 56 The Preparations made by the King for War Page 58 The Opinion of above sixty Essex Ministers of the Parliament War Page 59 The Uxbridg-Treaty Page 61 Heads of Letters between the King Queen and Marquess of Ormond about the Uxbridg-Treaty and for procuring a Peace with the Irish Rebels to bring them against the Parliament Page 63 The vulgar Error of the Scots selling the King refuted Page 67 A Vindication of the Lord Conway Page 69
whose Printer by an unhappy omission of one Letter ran him and me by consequence into a great mistake and I relying upon that Print said That the noble Lord Conway had avowed in Parliament that he never hated Popery whereas his words in truth were that he ever hated it convict me of Falshood in any one Particular there charged upon his incomparable Prince yet I have not had one Word either from him or Sir E. S. Therefore in good Manners I dismiss them from further trouble as I might have done my self had you not fallen foul upon me But seeing you must be scribling and have taken up the Cudgels we must come to A TRIAL OF SKILL To begin You appear very warm at first and therefore not so civil as a Man might hope you would be found who profess so much Candour and Temper as you sometimes do You say 'T is A LEWD PAMPHLET which goes under the Name of LUDLOW Why Lewd dear Sir 'T is a received Opinion amongst your Acquaintance at Billingsgate that to call a Woman Whore and say you will prove her so will bear an Action otherwise not I shall not therefore prosecute you for that because 't is only your say so you neither undertake nor offer one word to prove it And indeed should I implead you upon it I perceive you have express'd your self with that Caution that I should be Non-suited For you add that it goes under the Name of Ludlow by consequence it may not be his Why thus unmerciful Doctor You will not allow me to be Author of my own Book or Letter and yet you declare it a barbarous Act in a certain Essex Doctor his Name I understand is Walker and his Vertues and Piety will I doubt not find a room in future Annals and Records 't is your own delicate Expression when yours will be forgotten I say you allow him not to deny that your Martyr was the Author of Eicon Basilice I meet Sir in the next place with a taste of your healing Spirit You treat me and those who believe the Truth that you are no way able to gain-say in a highly obliging and most endearing manner Pag. 2 3. A vile Brood a factious Crew We are say you I may not now betray my own Innocence so far as to suffer any thing of this to pass upon me without a Vindication I have asserted that your SAINT was a NOTORIOVS TYRANT and for ought you tell me to the contrary very fairly proved it and that by abundance of Instances Am I Unjust therein Why then do not you refute me Am I in the Right Why then will you set your self to out-face the Truth That you do so I shall demonstrate after I have minded you out of my former Letter what things you are either to falsify or justify for you must know that Railing no more than Persecution can ever make a Convert when you scrible again if you intend to convince any Man of an Error who believes that King Charles the First was a Tyrant And I must tell you that I am induced to make the Repetition which ensues because I cannot perceive by the reading your Tract that you have look'd beyond my Title Page for there you find the only thing you mention of mine and that with Indignation THE VILE BROOD you say call this Day THE MADDING-DAY I am most sure that you do not answer nor so much as cast a look towards any one Paragraph or Sentence of my Letter Therefore This informs you that amongst many others the following Acts of Tyranny are there enumerated and placed to your Martyr's Account I shall to oblige you begin with the Church for I know 't will please you to see that precede the State 1. THE KING we are talking of in a Letter which he wrote to the Pope saluted Antichrist with the Title of Sanctissime Pater Most holy Father HE procured the Pope's Dispensation for his Marriage which was solemnized according to the Ceremonies of the Romish Church HE agreed to Articles upon his Marriage that Papists should be no more molested for their Religion HE built Somerset-House Chappel with conveniency for Friars and permitted them to walk abroad in their Habits HE assumed to himself a Power to dispense with the Laws in favour of Popery particularly the 21th and 27th of Queen Elizabeth by granting Pardons to Jesuits and Papists which passed by immediate Warrant HE inhibited and restrained both Ecclesiastical and Temporal Officers to intermeddle with Papists which amounted to a Toleration Popish Jurisdiction was exercised and avowed in Ireland Monasteries and Nunneries were erected there and filled with Men and Women of several Orders HE made above an hundred Popish Lords and Gentlemen Lot as Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants Justices of the Peace c. And his LORD TREASURER Weston died a Papist Are these my good Doctor any of the VERTVES and GRACES which King William and Queen Mary as you tell them in your Dedication do daily imitate 2. To pass on to the State of the Church of England in his Reign Well might Men cry in that day The Church O THE CHVRCH This King's Bishops generally speaking were unsound in their Principles they laid new Paintings on the Face of the old Whore of Babylon to make her shew lovely They countenanced and cherished Papists and depressed Orthodox Preachers how conformable soever in particular Archbishop Land whom you Doctor will have to be a tolerably good Man allowed Books which favoured Popery but denied to license Books that were written against it This King's CHAPLAINS endeavoured to reconcile England to Rome and scoffed at Preaching Bibles and all shew of Religion MOVNTAGVE one of his Chaplains being prosecuted in Parliament for Crimes of this nature your Martyr was incensed thereat granted him a Pardon and made him Bishop of Chichester And now Doctor pray tell me have our most Excellent King and Queen made any such Bishops or Chaplains as these 3. THIS KING in his first Year lent eight SHIPS which he equipp'd with Monies given for the Relief of his distressed Protestant Sister the Electress Palatine and the oppressed Protestants of the Palatinate TO THE FRENCH KING to fight against the distressed Protestants of Rochel These Ships were employ'd against the Rochellers and the French boasted that they mowed the Hereticks down like Grass Pray Sir your Opinion in the case Can you think their present Majesties will ever imitate their ROYAL GRANDFATHER in this Point 4. King Charles the First in the very beginning of his Reign took our Goods from us against our Wills and our Liberties against the Laws he raised an Army and required the Countries to furnish Coat and Conduct-Mony and against the known Laws put several to Death by Martial Law HE levied Money upon the Subject by way of Loan and menaced the City of London that if they would not advance him Money HE WOULD FRAME HIS COUNSELS AS APPERTAINED TO A KING That surely dear Doctor
could intend no other than such a one as France is now plagued with it may signify King in that Language In our plain English 't is downright Tyrant When it was urged that his requiring SHIP-MONEY was unprecedented His haughty Answer was That Precedents were not wanting for the Punishment of those that disobey the King's Commands and that State-Occasions were not to be guided by ordinary Precedents Those that refused to subscribe to the Loan were put out of the Commissions of the Lieutenancy and the Peace and also imprisoned and the Refusers of the meaner Rank were bound to appear and be enrolled for Souldiers to be sent for Denmark or were impressed to serve in the King's Ships Here now is a ready way not only for the raising of Money but also an Army for Flanders and Sailers for our Fleet. But all your Rhetorick Reverend Sir will not work upon their Majesties to imitate your good and great Man in these things neither 5. YOUR MARTYR suspended Dr. ABBOT Archbishop of Canterbury who was a Man that wholly followed the true Interest of England and that of the Reformed Churches in Europe so far as that in his time the CLERGY was not much envied here in England nor the Government of Episcopacy much disfavoured by Protestants beyond the Seas I say HE SUSPENDED this Excellent Person and also CONFINED him because to use his own words HE REFUSED TO MAKE THAT GOOD BY Divinity WHICH THE King HAD DONE AGAINST THE LAWS HE also thrust Dr. WILLIAMS Bishop of Lincoln from the place of Lord Keeper and his Presence and the Council-Table for appearing in Parliament against the Kingdom 's great Grievance the Duke of Buckingham and afterwards he imprisoned him in the Tower for speaking against the Loan for refusing to allow Proceedings against Puritans and prophesying that the Puritans would carry all at last I doubt Doctor that should the King and Queen imitate their Grandfather in these Practices you would find your self AS IT WERE overwhelm'd with Sorrow and that such Actions would swell your Grief above its usual Banks if not stir your Indignation 6. THE TYRANT resolving to subvert the Liberties and Estates of the Subjects to his Will and Pleasure removed that grave and learned Judg Sir Randolph Crew from the place of Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench because he had declared himself against the Loan and would not serve his turn in declaring that the King might legally imprison Men durante beneplacito My Life for yours Doctor their present Majesties will never follow this Example of your PATTERN FOR PRINCES 7. HE upon the 30th of JANVARY of all the days in the Year 1627 sent a Privy-Seal to the Treasury for the remitting 30000 l. into Holland to Burlemark a Merchant to be employed for levying Horse and Men to be brought into England to support his Tyranny And can you think their Majesties will ever write after this Copy 8. HE had no sooner passed the PETITION OF RIGHT into a Law than he was found to violate it by billeting of Souldiers and levying the Subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage which determined by his Father's Death and were never payable to any his Ancestors but only by special Act of Parliament And what Opinion have you of King William and Queen Mary in reference as this Point my good Doctor 9. HE kept the Earl of Bristol under Confinement near two Years without being charged with any Accusation or brought to Trial And HE committed the Earl of Arundel to the Tower in the time of Parliament without expressing any Cause of his Commitment in Violation of the Priviledges of the Peers Ple warrant you Sir you 'l never find their present Majesties at this Work 10. HE upheld and shelter'd the Grand Enemies of the Common-wealth When the Duke of Buckingham was prosecuted in Parliament as the principal Patron and Supporter of a Popish Faction set on Foot to the danger of the CHURCH and STATE THE KING interposed to rescue him When the Commons impeach'd him and by one of their Articles charg'd him in effect WITH THE MURDER OF KING JAMES THE KING told the House of Lords That to aprove Buckingham's Innocence HE could be a Witness to clear him in every one of the Articles HE told the House of Commons That he would not allow any of his Servants to be questioned amongst them much less such as were near him That he saw they aimed at the Duke but assured them he had not intermedied nor done any thing concerning the Publick but by his special Directions He added That he wondred at the FOOLISH IMPUDENCE of any Man to think that he should be drawn to offer such a Sacrifice HE dissolved three Parliaments when they were intent upon the prosecution of the Duke We are still at a loss good Doctor this will not pass with our King and Queen we shall never hear them speak or act at this rate 11. HE imprisoned several Members of the House of Commons during the Parliament for refusing to answer out of Parliament what was said and done in Parliament HE imprisoned others for managing a Conference with the Lords upon their impeaching the Duke HE in the time of Parliament sent Warrants for sealing up the Studies of other Members and he caused the imprisoned Members to be shifted and toss'd from Goal to Goal to deprive them by that wicked Artifice of the Fruit of their Habeas Corpus and of the Benefit of Free-born Subjects for the obtaining their Liberty thus were they long detained in Prison The brave Sir John Eâ—ios ended his days in the Tower not without suspicion of foul play I am sure Sir you will not recommend these vertuous Practices to the imitation of their Majesties 12. HE struck at the very Being of Parliaments he sent a threatning Message to the Commons that if he had not a timely Supply he would betake himself to NEW COUNSELS At another time he said to the Lords and Commons REMEMBER THAT PARLIAMENTS ARE ALTOGETHER IN MY POWER THEREFORE as I find the Fruits of them Good or Evil THEY ARE TO CONTINVE OR NOT TO BE. HE told the Parliment the 17th of March 1627 That if they should not contribute what the State needed he must use OTHER MEANS And his Lord Keeper added That if the King found the Readiness of their Supplies be might the better forbear the use of his Prerogative That the King those that way of Parliament not as the only way but as firtest not as destitute of others but AS MOST AGREE ABLE TO HIS DISPOSITIon You will readily agree with me dear Sir that King William hath not learn'd this way of speaking to Parliaments I have now Reverend Sir briefly run over my former Letter and thence presented you with a Bone to pick indeed a dozen as luck will have it and I could have doubled the number but for the present I conclude these may stay your Stomach this being a Fasting-Day I must now tell you
that you are certain that from the beginning of the Long Parliament Novemb. 4. to the day of his Death he did every thing ALMOST that deserved a better Reception than it met withal and made such various Offers and Condescontions as would have pleased any sort of Men but those who were resolved to be Masters of his whole Crown and Dignity c. 'T is something unhappy good Doctor when you seem to speak with assurance that you dare not adventure to do it without a Reserve your ALMOST in this place abates much of the Glory of this Paragraph He did every thing ALMOST he made Offers and Condescentions what those were I suppose you intend to inform me by and by when I see them we will talk about them and then should it be found that they were such as were not satisfactory to the Lords and Commons in that great Parliament you will deserve to be TOPHAMIZ'D for slandering the Representative Body of the English Nation and truly I think you merit something beyond that Punishment for saying that their most Excellent Majesties King William and Queen Mary do daily imitate the Vertues and Graces of a King who yâ—â—â—gree might have committed some Mistakes in his Government in his first sixteen Year's Reign and yet did every thing with an unlucky ALMOST to redress such things as his Male-Administration had put out of order SO FAR AS HE COVLD BE SATISFIED THEY WERE OVT OF ORDER For to the eternal Honour of their present Majesties and to the unspeakable Comfort of all good Englishmen we see them daily acquiescing in the Wisdom of their great Council and redressing not only ALMOST but ALTOGETHER the Disorders and Grievances of two or three unhappy Reigns In the next place you affirm That when the Parliament sat down in 1640 the King purposed and resolved to consent to every thing they could offer which might be really for the good of his Kingdom You are Sir too general herein for my Conversation you talk as tho you had been one of his Privy-Council or at least a Chaplain to Archbishop Land I cannot say what his Purposes or Resolutions were but when we come to Particulars shall endeavour to weigh them by his Actions Pursuant to what he purposed and resolved Pag. 5. say you he tells them frankly in his first Speech that he was resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the Love and Affection of his ENGLISH SVBJECTS and withal promises them to concur so heartily with them that all the World may see that his Intentions HAVE EVER BEEN and shall be to make THIS a glorious Kingdom Having said this you are running on Doctor but with too much speed for me you instantly add I think c. Well so you may and I intend to hear what that is anon for now and not till now you have cut me out Work and I must intreat you to pause a little and hear what I observe upon what you but now declared He told them he resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the LOVE AND AFFECTION of his ENGLISH SVBJECTS Can this be true Doctor Did he in earnest say so Why he was born at Dumferling how then can you represent him abdicating his Ancient Kingdom and renouncing the Love and Affection of the Scotish Nation Seeing you are silent in this matter I must it seems take the pains to examine it and I promise to supply your Omission with Impartiality and all imaginable regard to Truth And in doing it shall shew with what brevity I can not only the reason why your Martyr did at this Juncture caress and cajole an English Parliament but how our Nation became so happy as to see one assembled when our Fathers had almost forgot the Name of a Parliament The Story is this The Reformation of England had never abrogated nor scarce shaken the Prelatical Dignity in any Parliament but in Scotland it was quite rooted out by Law that Church having been ever much addicted to the Reformation of Geneva By degrees it was restored by the extraordinary Interposition of the Power of King James the first yet not without many Difficulties not without great Reluctancy of the Nobility Gentry and most of the Ministers of that Nation They suffered a great Diminution of their Temporal Liberties by the Introduction of Episcopal Jurisdiction the Bishops using rigorous Proceedings against Gentlemen of Quality by Fines Imprisonments c. And the whole structure of Ecclesiastical Policy so long used in Scotland and established by so many Acts of Parliament was at one blow thrown down their Consistories Classes and Presbyteries were held in the nature of Conventicles and all Decision of Ecclesiastical Controversies confined to the Tribunal of a Bishop Dr. Hollingworth in his Tract called A Vindication of their Majesties Wisdom c. p. 9. saith that Laud was A VERY GOOD MAN the Book of Sports excepted for ought I know he meant this Scotch Book for it made Sport with a witness if he did not I am sure this deserved an Exception also I am sensible of the Doctor 's Infirmities that he is addicted to rash and inconsiderate Railing therefore tho I will not humour him in reciting the Authority which I have for this black Story of his otherways very good Man because I have in his Works no more than his bare word for what he asserts my good Nature prompts me to advise him not to give me the Lie in this matter for I know those who have been at Rome and I can produce a most reputable Member of the Church of England for what I here charge upon that very ill Man Laud. After this friendly Caution the Doctor may deny it if he dares That fierce cruel insolent and Popishly-affected Archbishop Laud was the main Instrument in this fatal Work He in the Year 1637 composed a Common-Prayer Book for Scotland and desiring to demonstrate his great Affection to the Court of Rome sent it thither to be approved by the Pope and Cardinals they returned it with Thanks for his Respect to them but sent him word that they thought it not fit for Scotland The GOOD MAN thereupon further to ingratiate himself with his ELDER BROTHER alter'd some things in it and made it more harsh and unreasonable and then instigated the King to send it to the Scots with an express Command to have it read in their Churches It varied from the English Common-Prayer Book but the Alterations were for the worse especially in the Lord's-Supper it was expresly commanded that the Altar so called should be situate to the Eastern Wall together with many Postures of the Minister whilst he officiated And in the consecrating Prayer those words which in the English Liturgy are directly against Transubstantiation were quite left out in that Book and instead of them such other words as in plain sense agreed with the Roman Mass-Book viz. Hear us O most merciful Father and of thy Omnipotent Goodness grant so to
been offered them since the Pacification But to add to the Grievances of that oppressed Nation the King committed two of their Commissioners to Prison In April 1640 the King called a Parliament in England not to seek Counsel and Advice of them but to draw Countenance and Supply from them resolving either to make the Parliament pliant to his Will and to establish Mischief by a Law or else to break it The Scots wrote a Justification of their Proceedings to this Parliament and advised them to be wary in vindicating their own Laws and Liberties this Parliament being procured to no other End but to arm the King against his Scotish Subjects and by that VVar to enslave both the Nations That after so many Violations and Dissolutions of Parliaments in England this was not called to redress Grievances but to be so over-reach'd if they were not careful that no possibility should be left for the future of redressing any That some dangerous Practice might be well suspected when at the same time a Parliament was denied to Scotland tho promised by the WORD OF A KING granted to England when not expected and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired The Parliament met the 13th of April when the King required a Supply to carry on his VVar against the Scots with a Promise that he would afterwards redress the Kingdom 's Grievances To which it was answered by many That redress of Grievances was the chief End of assembling Parliaments and ought to precede granting of Subsidies That the People had no reason to pay for that which they neither caused nor desired and which could not prove to their Good but quite contrary to the great detriment of the whole Kingdom That they would more willingly pay to prevent that unhappy VVar That the VVar would make the Breach wider and the Remedy desperate That THE BEST JVSTICE VVOVLD BE TO FILL VP THE PITS VVHICH VVERE MADE TO INTRAP OTHERS VVITH THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT DIGGED THEM Upon the 5th of May the King to the great grief of both Kingdoms * Upon the News of the Dissolution of this Parliament Cardinal Barberini intituled The Protector of England though he greatly affected Arch-Bishop Laud declared That he feared he would cause some great Disturbance in England and that certainly for his sake and by his means the King had dissolved this Parliament which he feared Scotland and most part of England would take very ill dissolved this Parliament finding them no way disposed to countenance the War But he PROTESTED HE WOULD GOVERN ACCORDING TO LAW as if the Parliament were constantly sitting And yet the very next day to the extream Grief of the People he was seen to break his Word for he commanded the Lord BROOKS Study and Pockets to be searched and Mr. Bellasis Father of the present Earl of Fanomberg Sir John Hâ—â—haâ— and Mr. Crew Members of the House of Commons were imprisoned And the King published a false and scandalous Declaration against the Commons He then betook himself to other Courses to carry on this VVar The CLERGY contributed freely to it and Collections were made among the PAPISTS Great Loans were attempted to be drawn from the City and for not complying therein Sir Nicholas Rainton Sir Stephan Soumâ— and other eminent Citizens were imprisoned Nay he went further and had it under consideration to â—oin 400000 l. of BRASS MONEY A Precedent for what the late King James did in Ireland The Scots taking Alarm at the Breach of the English Parliament and at the King's Preparations and finding themselves bereaved of all possibility of satisfying him by any naked Supplication they provided for their own Safety and resolved to enter England with a Sword in one hand and a Petition in the other The King marches his Army Northwards but the Common Souldiers were found sensible of Publick Interest and Religion though many Commanders and Gentleman seemed not to be so They declared their aversion to the War and questioned whether their Captains were not Papists Upon the 28th of August 1640 the Scots marching towards Nowcastle the English Army encamped to intercept their Passage but many of the Souldiers not liking the Cause forsook their Commanders However the Horse engaged the Scots but received a Repulse some on both sides being slain and Colonel VVilmot with Sir John Digby and Oniale both Captains of Horse and PAPISTS were made Prisoners Hereupon the Scots became Masters of Newcastle and Durham The King by Proclamation summoned all the English Nobility with their Followers and Foroes to attend his Standard at York upon the 20th of September against the Scots But about twenty Peers considering the great Calamity into which the King 's rash Proceedings had thrown the Kingdom framed and sent his Majesty an humble Letter representing the Mischiefs attending his wicked War the Rapines committed by his Army wherein Papists were armed though the Laws permit them not to have Arms in their Houses c. and they humbly entreated him to summon a Parliament The King thereupon summoned all the Lords to appear at York upon the 24th of September and then declared to them that OF HIS OWN FREE ACCORD he had determined to call a Parliament and sixteen Lords were agreed upon to treat with the like number of the Scots and at length a Cessation of Arms till the 16th of December was agreed upon and that during that time the Scots should be paid 850 l. a day and they allowed Winter-quarters in England Both Nations hereupon rested in assured Confidence that the Parliament would put a Period to this War which could never have been begun but for want of a Parliament They were also confident that the Freedom which the Fundamental Laws allow to Parliaments could not be denied to this to which the King WAS NECESSITATED and upon which THE PEOPLE had set their utmost Hope whom it seemed not safe after so many and often repeated Oppressions to provoke any further So much for the Scotish Affairs Now it may be thought that I have too long digressed therefore to return to you Reverend Doctor Hollingworth We will try what Inferences may be raised from this Melancholy History to render it useful to the English Reader I have declared that King Charles the First was an insufferable Tyrant you affirm him to have set a Pattern for the best of future Princes and that King William and Queen Mary are daily imitating him And the last thing you said was That when the Parliament met in November 1640 He frankly told them that he was resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the LOVE AND AFFECTION OF HIS ENGLISH SUBJECTS Now I have been taking a great deal of pains to set this Matter in its true Light and to shew whence this sudden Fit of Love to our Nation with an exclusion of Scotland arose And with your leave Sir here are two or three Vses of Information or Instruction from what hath been said 1. That this Declaration of
your Martyr's that he would put himself on the Love and Affection of his English Subjects was to draw them in to support him in his wicked War against the Scotish Nation whom at the same time he called Rebels and urged their Expulsion tho he was under an Agreement for a Cessation of Arms and to allow them 850 l. per diem and Quarters in England till their Complaints might be weighed in this Parliament 2. Information That he appeared an exorbitant and outragious Tyrant in his Attempts upon that People This appears in many Particular to recount some of them briefly 1. In overturning their Church-Government established by many Acts of Parliament and obtruding upon them Laud's Liturgy and Popish Ceremonies 2. In denying them the undoubted Right of all Subjects to petition for Redress of their Grievances 3. In dissolving their Synod and Parliament burning the Pacification made with them by the Hangman's Hands and imprisoning the Lords sent by them to petition him to perform his solemn Promises and redress their Grievances 4. In levying Armies against them and raising a Civil War to justify himself in the violation of their Laws A CIVIL WAR it was said the great Lord Digby seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King And 5. In the very thing for which you Doctor are now magnifying him I mean in attempting to make use of the Love and Affection of the English to enslave and ruin the Scotish Nation 3. Information That the Scotish Covenant was not a new Invention or Innovation but established by the Law of Scotland and taken by King James the First seventy Years before King Charles the Second took it 4. Information That Bishops and Clergy-men in Conjunction with Papists abetted and assisted this Tyrant in the Violation of the Laws when the bulk of the Nobility Gentry and People of England appeared undauntedly in defence of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom 5. Information That Popery hath greatly spread in Scotland over since Land 's Superstition was introduced there their number then not exceeding 600 and therefore Presbytery being now restored there by Law it may be reasonably hoped that it will reduce many who have been deluded into that Idolatry 6. Information That PRINCES ARE NOT ALWAYS TO TRUST TO THE Insinuations and Suggestions of Scotish Bishops seeing that when they instigated King Charles the First to dissolve the Synod and Parliament he was seduced by them into a Belief that the Scotish Covenanters were a contemptible number and that THEIR PARTY in Scotland was sufficient to deal with them 7. Information That the Scots were not Rebels in taking Arms to assert their Rights and vindicate the Laws and Liberties of their Country For my Noble Lord Russel the Honour of our Age was most undoubtedly in the right when the day before his Murder he wrote in his Paper left behind him the following words I cannot deny but that I have been of Opinion that a free Nation like this might defend their Religion and Liberties when invaded and taken from them the under pretence and colour of Law I do â—â—firm this was his Orthodox Opinion and these the words he wrote tho they were left out of the Print and in that day there might be reason to omit them But to bethink my self Reverend Sir and to return to what we were upon I lest you thinking at our last parting I will now hear what your Head run upon I think say you he that rends the first half Year's Transactions betwixt King Charles and this Parliament Pag. 5. will find he made his Word good to a tittle for whatsoever they offered to him by way of Bill which the Nation groaned under before as a real nay but as a fancied Burden he PRESENTLY posses it To shew that Against Experience you believe And argue against Demonstration Pleas'd that you can your self deceive And set your Judgment by your Passion We must have a little Chat about this half Year which has exercised your Thoughts and I shall shew you the Reasons wherefore I dissent from your Opinion That your Martyr READILY PASSED whatsoever Bills the Parliament affored for the Redress of the Nation 's Grievances Now a cannot remember one Instance in the whole History of his Reign of a willing and ready Compliance with his People in any one Act of Grace or Justice Every thing of that kind in the whole course of his Life was wrested from him by the universal Outory of the Kingdom against his high Oppressions which did never avail but when the extremity of his Affairs wrought his stubborn Mind to a Compliance And most sure I am that you are mistaken in the sew Instances you bring You say That he PRESENTLY pass'd the Bills for putting down the Stan-Chamber and High-Commission-Coures But I affirm the contrary and do thus prove it The Parliament could never bring him to make a fair Bargain with them they bought every thing at a very dear rate and when they had come to his Price they were ever in danger of being wick'd They came to a Contract with him to yield up those two accursed Courts of Oppression and Tyranny and agreed to a POLL BILL wherein every Duke was assessed at 100 l. a Marquese at 80 l. Earls 60 l. Viscounts and Barons 40 l. Knights of the Bath and Baronets 30 l. nother Knights 20 l. Esquires 10 l. every Genduriam dispending 100 l. per Annum 5 l. and all others of Ability to pay a competent proportion and the meanest Head in the whole Kingdom was not excused I hear there is now a Poll-Bill on foot in this present Parliament and therefore from the high Affection and Duty which I hear and shall ever pay to those excellent Princes who do so happily fill their Grandfathers and Fathers Throne I do here remember my Country men at what rate and for what they were thus assessed in 1640. Then they were forc'd to buy off the Encroachments of a TYRANT who had sworn to maint ain their Laws and Liberties but now they at lower rates are only to enable the hest Princes that ever sway'd the English Scepter to vanquish the worst of Tyrants Well This Bargain was struck and the Parliament resolving very honestly to stand to it they prepared the Bills but finding the King begin to falter declaring that he would take their Money but would not at that time pass the Bills to put down the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts They voted that he should pass all the three Bills or none at all However Neither the Contract nor their Vote could hold him he trick'd them here and upon the 2d of July pass'd the Poll-Money Bill but demurred upon the other two The afterwards finding that the matter was very ill taken and that it was not seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time he passed the other two Bills And now hope that you are convinced that he did not so PRESENTLY pass Bills for Redrese
yielding up the Claim of Ship-Money to be an Act of pure Grace for very able Lawyers gave their Opinion that the King might exact it by Law and so I have told you did as able and no less knavish Divines But hearken I beseech you what the Wisdom of Parliament told him They declared it a new and unheard of Tax they voted it a most illegal Taxation and unsufferable Grievance they look'd into the Carriage of those Judges who advised the King in this matter and found that Sir JOHN FINCH a Gentleman of good Birth of an high and imperious Spirit ELOQUENT IN SPEECH tho in the knowledg of the Law not very deep in the Year 1636 when Ship-Money was first plotted and set on foot was made Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas and it appeared that by his Brokage and Sollicitation and that with Threats and Promises several of the Judges were wrought upon to give it under their hand that the King might by Law exact Ship-Money Thereupon an Impeachment of High Treason was drawn up against him and the great Lord FAVLKLAND tho an Admirer of the Church as you tell me presented it to the Lords with a very pithy and sharp Oration against Finch but he being at this time Lord-Keeper not daring to abide the Test took his Wings and fled in a disguise to Holland In Conclusion the Arbitrary Power pretended to be in the King of taxing the Subject without Consent in Parliament was not only declared to be against Law by the Judgment of both Houses but also by Act of Parliament Thus we rid our Hands of SHIP-MONEY And Now indeed Sir you come to that which might well raise your Choler and stir your Indignation The King passed a Bill to remove the Bishops out of the House of Lords he also passed a Bill for attainting the great Earl of Strafford which offered Violence to the Peace and Quiet of his Mind all the days of his Life To tell you the Truth Doctor the Parliament found the Bishops of that day to be the Troublers of the State and that it was by consequence become most necessary to abridg their immoderate Power usurped over the Clergy and other good Subjects which they had most maliciously abused to the hazard of Religion and great Prejudice and Oppression of the Laws of the Kingdom and just Liberty of the Subject They had cherish'd Formality and Superstition as the probable Supports of their own Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Vsurpation they had multiplied and enlarged the Differences between the common Protestants and those whom they called Puritans under which Name they included all those that desired to preserve the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and to maintain the true Protestant Religion They had been designing a Conjunction between Papists and Protestants in Doctrine Discipline and Ceremonies only it must not yet be called Popery They had triumphed in the Suspensions Excommunications Deprivations and Degradations of divers learned and pious Ministers in the Vexation and grievous Oppression of great numbers of the People whereby many thousands were impoverished and others were so afflicted and troubled by them that great numbers departed into New-England and other parts of America others into Holland The most of the Preaching that was allowed was degenerate into railing against Parliaments and Puritans because they were tenacious of just Liberty and true Religion crying up Absolute Authority Passive Obedience c. Streins of Wit fitter for a Stage than a Pulpit After the Dissolution of the Parliament in May 1640 They continued the Convocation and by unheard-of Presumption they made Canons contrary to the King's Prerogative to the Fundamental Laws of the Realm to the Right of Parliaments to the Property and Liberty of the Subject thereby establishing their own Vsurpations justifying their Altar-Worship and other Superstitious Innovations which they had formerly introduced without Warrant of Law they imposed a new Oath on the Subjects for maintenance of their own Tyranny and laid a great Tax upon the Clergy And now to sill up the measure of their Iniquity the House of Lords upon the 30th of December 1641 at a Conference with the Commons told them that the Bishops by a Protestation which they made to the King and Lords had deeply intrenched upon the Fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliament whereupon the Commons impeached twelve of them of High-Treason in endeavouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and the very Being of Parliaments and they were by the House of Peers sequestred from Parliament committed to the Tower and shortly after by Act of Parliament most deservedly deprived of voting in the House of Peers I hope good Doctor you will acquiesce in the Reasons which I have here offered for the passing this Bill of Exclusion but the other Bill for attainting the great Earl of Strafford you say offered Violence to the Peace and Quiet of the King's Mind all the days of his Life This great Man who had long run on in a full Career to establish Tyranny trampling down the Peoples Liberties leaping the Hedges of the Laws or making Gaps through them was impeached by the Commons in many Articles some whereof were for ruling Ireland or which he had been Lord-Lieutenant in an Arbitrary way against the Fundamental Laws which he had endeavoured to subvert For abusing his Power to the increase and encouragement of Papists for maliciously endeavouring to stir up Hostility between England and Scotland for labouring to subvert Parliaments and incense the King against them for levying Money by force of Arms for imposing an Oath upon the Subjects That they should not protest against any of the King's Commands for telling the King That he had an Army in Ireland which his Majesty might imploy to reduce this Kingdom to Obedience Upon this Impeachment the Earl was brought to Trial before the Lords which lasted from the 22d of March with but few days intermission till the midst of April After this long Trial the Commons voted him guilty of High-Treason in divers Particulars and drew up and passed a Bill of Attainder against him but 59 dissenting This Bill being carried to the Lords the King's Sollicitor General made it good by Law to the satisfaction of almost all that heard him The Judges also delivered their Opinions That the Matters proved against him amounted to Treason and so the Lords passed the Bill The King having after this called all the Judges to deliver their Opinions before him and also sent for FOUR BISHOPS TO RESOLVE HIM UPON SCRUPLE OF CONSCIENCE He at length gave the Royal Assent to this Bill Prithee now Doctor tell me what ail'd your Martyr's Conscience at this time There must be something extraordinary and not commonly taken notice of in this Matter that must as you affirm offer Violence to the Peace and Quiet of his Mind all the Days of his Life You know he exacted the Ship-Money without scruple of Conscience upon the Advice of some Lawyers And
principal Agent in carrying on their Intrigue of working upon the Army to engage them against the Parliament That THE KING sent Instructions under his Hand for a Petition to be presented from the Army In which was a Clause to this effect That whereas all Men ought to give God thanks for putting it into the King's Heart to condescend to the Desires of the Parliament to do many things which none of his Ancestors would have consented unto as giving way to the Triennial Parliament and granting many other things for the Good of his Subjects yet notwithstanding some turbudent Spirits seem'd not to be satisfied but WOVLD HAVE THE TOTAL SVBVERSION OF THE GOVERNMENT That therefore the Army being of good Comportment though ill Paid might be called up to attend the Person of the King and Parliament for their Security That the Design was that the Army should move towards London and spoil the Country all along as they went to hinder the Scots from following them That Oneal proposed to Sir Jacob Ashley the making the Scots Neutral but Sir Jacob said that they would lay him by the Heels if he should come to move such a thing for they would never break with the Parliament Upon this Discovery I must tell you Doctor the Hearts of honest Men were highly grieved to find the King in this Conspiracy and they began to despair of that Happiness which they had hoped for by this Parliament And the two Houses doubting as they well might the King 's sincere Affection to them and considering what great Disturbance they had and were like to meet with in settling the State and what great Disbursments of Money were to be made for payment of the English and Scotish Armies They unanimously moved the King to sign a Bill for continuance of this present Parliament That it should never be dissolved till both Houses did Consent and agree that Publick Grievances were fully Redress'd and his Plot made it unsafe for him to deny it Besides as his extream Wants had forc'd him to call this Parliament so the same necessitated him to comply with them For this great Parliament taught by woful experience that he used Parliaments but to serve his Turn and so when he had attained his Ends their End ensued in a sudden Dissolution would grant no Supply to relieve his Necessities until by his Concession they had obtained this Continuance to redress the Peoples many and great Grievances And they themselves declared That though there were in it some seeming Restraint of the Regal Power in dissolving Parliaments yet it was no taking that Power from the Crown but suspending the Execution of it for this Time and Occasion only Which was so necessary for the Publick Peace that without it they could not have undertaken any of those great Charges but must have left both the Armies to Disorder and Confusion and the whole Kingdom to Blood and Ruin For to pay the Armies Money was to be borrowed upon the Publick Faith which had been nothing worth if that Parliament could have been dissolved at the King's Pleasure And whereas Sir you express your self as astonished at this gracious Compliance and say that no King ever granted the like before I answer 'T was most evident that no King before ever made so great a Necessity for a Parliament to insist upon it And besides in the Constitution of ENGLAND 's GOVERNMENT it was never the meaning of the LAW-GIVERS that the King should dissolve Parliaments whilst the Great Affairs of the Kingdom were depending And though Kings have used to do so it was never the more lawful Well Doctor I agree with you that the King passed these Bills very advantagious for the Subject yet in none of them was he bereaved of any just necessary or profitable Prerogative of the Crown And I must tell you because you are silent and for ought I know ignorant in the Point All this was not done for nought for the King had out of the Subjects Purse in the first Year of this Parliament ONE MILLION AND AN HALF OF MONEY And yet some Men have the impudence to suggest That the Parliament did nothing for him To proceed What 's the next Article in the Impeachment against this Parliament Pag. 7 These Men to shew their Gratitude for what was done before drew up a Remonstrance wherein they made the most bitter Reflections upon the King 's former Government And which was so unmannerly as well as false that when it came to be debated in the whole House 't was carried only by eleven Voices You are out again most unlusky Doctor My Authentick Flistorian tells me a Tale quite contrary to yours The Remonstrance or Declaration of the State of the Kingdom was carried but by eight Voices saith he yet it contained plain which I will allow you to call Vnmannerly but must not yield to be false Truths reciting the chief Grievances and Oppressions which the Nation had groaned under since the beginning of this King's Reign until that time but with as much tendernefs of Expression and respect to his Person as so much Truth could possibly be uttered Many of the Members who opposed this Remonstrance were of the same Opinion with those who voted for it but urged that no Cure could be hoped for by it That instead of directing a stubborn King for the future it would teach him only to hate the Makers of it as Upbraiders of his Crimes And they held it fitter to win him by the sweeter way of concealing his Errors rather than by publishing them to hazard the provoking him And now Sir not to contend it with you whether the little Majority or great Minority were the best Politicians and most in the right you are certainly in the wrong when you insist that this Remonstrance was so strennously opposed bocause the Matter thereof was unmannerly and false You add Pag. 8. That the King fairly answered this Remonstrance and vindicated himself from those horrid Aspersions wherewith they loaded him Not to be transported Reverend Sir to such an indecency of replying as is usual in such a Case as this I barely tell you that you talk loosly and with no regard to Truth in what you now say for I have the Royal Answer and Vindication now under my Eye and do find that the King doth fairly answer the Remonstrance which sets forth the many Grievances and high Oppressions of the People in these only words We shall IN FEW WORDS PASS over that part of the Narrative wherein the Misfortunes of this Kingdom from our first entring to the Crown to the beginning of this Parliament are remembred in so sensible Expressions And to this he adds not one word in vindication of himself from those Miscarriages enumerated in the Parliament's Romonstrance which you call HORRID ASPERSIONS but his Majesty knew to be sad Truths What follows next The King you say through TVMVLTS Ibid. and too-much countenanced RIOTS withdrew from
Monarch might invade the just Rights of the People nor the People incroach upon the Rights of his Crown and Dignity Having said this you intimate that he told them something upon their presenting Petitions to him at Theobalds and New-market Then it seems that they called upon him likewise and 't is fit my Country-men should know for what seeing you do maliciously withhold it Upon the 1st of March 1641 BOTH HOUSES CALLED UPON HIS MAJESTY by their Petition presented at Theobalds That for the dispatch of the great Affairs of the Kingdom the Safety of his Person the Protection and Comfort of his Subjects he would be pleased to continue his Abode near the Parliament and not to withdraw himself to any the remoter Parts which if he should do must needs be a cause of great Danger and Distraction And they prayed him to accept this humble Counsel as the Effect of that Duty and Allegiance which they owed unto him and which would not suffer them to admit of any Thoughts Intentions or Endeavours but such as were necessary and advantagious for his Majesties Greatness and Honour and the Safety and Prosperity of the Kingdom Expressions surely that do not in the least savour of that Sedition and Rebellion with which at this time by you Doctor and many other WICKED Clergy-men the Memory of this great Parliament is charged The King being deaf to the importunate Supplication of the Lords and Commons for his Return They again called upon him more earnestly sending after him a Declaration to Newmarket by the Earles of Pembroke and Holland and a Committee of the Commons wherein they laid before him the Causes of their own Fears and Jealousies in these Particulars 1. That the design of altering Religion had been potently carried on by those in greatest Authority about him the Queen's Agent at Rome the Pope's Nuncio here are not only Evidences of this Design but have been great Actors in it 2. That the War with Scotland was procured to make way for this Intent and chiefly fomented by the Papists and other Popishly affected whereof we have many Evidences 3. That the Rebellion in Ireland was framed and contrived here in England and that the English Papists should have risen about the same time we have several Testimonies c. The Irish Rebels affirm that they do nothing but by Authority from the King they call themselves the Queen's Army The Booty which they take from the English they mark with the Queen's mark and it is proved that their purpose was to come to England after they had done in Ireland 4. The labouring to infuse into your Majesty's Subjects an evil Opinion of the Parliament and other Symptoms of a Disposition of raising Arms and dividing your People by a Civil War in which Combustion Ireland must needs be lost and this Kingdom miserably wasted and consumed if not wholly ruined and destroyed 5. That your Majesty sent away the Lord Digby by your own Warrant beyond the Sea after a Vote had passed in the House of Commons declaring that he had appeared in a Warlike manner at Kingston upon Thames to the Terror of your Majesty's good Subjects that he being so got beyond Sea he vented his traiterous Conceptions That your Majesty should declare your self and retire to a place of Strength and intimated some Service which he might do in those Parts whereby in probability he intended the procuring of some Foreign Force to strengthen your Majesty in that Condition into which he would have brought you which malicious Counsel we have great Cause to doubt made too deep an Impression in your Majesty CONSIDERING THE COURSE YOU ARE PLEASED TO TAKE OF ABSENTING YOUR SELF FROM YOUR PARLIAMENT and carrying the Prince with you which seems to express a purpose in your Majesty to keep your self in a readiness for the acting of it 6. The manifold Advertisements which we have had from Rome Venice Paris and other parts that they still expect that your Majesty has some great Design in hand for the altering of Religion the breaking the Neck of your Parliament and that you will yet find means to compass that Design That the Pope's Nuncio hath sollicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend your Majesty 4000 Men apiece to help to maintain your Royalty against the Parliament These are some of the grounds of our Fears and Jealousies which made us so earnestly to implore your Royal Authority and Protection for our Defence and Security in all the ways of Humility and Submission which being denied by your Majesty We do with Sorrow apply our selves to the use of that * The Militia Power which by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom resides in us yet still resolving to keep our selves within the Bounds of Faithfulness and Allegiance to your Sacred Person and your Crown And as to the Fears and Jealousies which his Majesty seemed to have entertained of them The Lords and Commons thus answered We have according to your Majesty's Desires laid our Hands upon our Hearts we have ask'd our selves in the strictest Examination of our Consciences we have search'd our Affections our Thoughts considered our Actions and can find none that can give your Majesty and just occasion to absent your self from Whitehall and the Parliament but that you may with more Honour and Safety continue there than in any other place Your Majesty lays a general Charge upon us if you will be graciously pleased to let us know the Particulars we shall give a clear and satisfactory Answer But what hope can we have of ever giving your Majesty Satisfaction when those Particulars which you have been made believe were true yet being produced and made known to us appeared to be false and your Majesty notwithstanding will neither punish nor produce the Authors but go on to contract new Jealousies and Fears upon general and uncertain grounds affording us no means or possibility of particular Answer to the clearing of our selves WE BESEECH YOUR MAJESTY TO CONSIDER IN WHAT STATE YOU ARE how easy and fair a way you have to Happiness Honour and Greatness Plenty and Security if you will join with the Parliament in the Defence of the Religion and publick Good of the Kingdom THIS IS ALL WE EXPECT FROM YOU and for this we return to you our Lives Fortunes and utmost Eadeavours to support your Majesty your just Soveraignty and Power over us but IT IS NOT WORDS THAT CAN SECURE US in these our humble Desires We cannot but too well and sorrowfully remember what GRACIOUS MESSAGES we had from you this Summer when WITH YOUR PRIVITY the bringing up the Army was in Agitation We cannot but with the like Affections recal to our Minds how not two days before your own coming to the Commons House you sent a GRACIOUS MESSAGE that you would always have care of their Priviledges as of your own Prerogative of the Safety of their Persons as of your own Children that which we expect which will give
us assurance that you have no thought but of Peace and Justice to your People must be some real Effect of your Goodness to them in granting those things which the present Necessity of the Kingdom do inforce us to desire And that you will be graciously pleased to put from you those mischievous Counsellors which have caused all these Dangers and Distractions and to continue your own Residence and the Princes near London and the Parliament which we hope will be a happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt your Majesty and your People and be followed with many succeeding Blessings of Honour and Greatness to your Majesty and of Security and Prosperity to them These are brief Heads good Doctor of the Declaration which you mention to be read to the King at Newmarket and you with very little regard to his Majesty's Honour do affirm that after the hearing this Declaration read he expostulated in these words What would you have Have I violated your Laws Pag. 8. Were you so well read in the History of that Day as you pretend to be this his strong Expostulation with the Lords and Commons would never have found room in your Defence of the King for his high violation of the Laws were too well known to the whole World to be denied and you his Majesty's Defender would never have revived the thing had you remembred the short but most pertinent Reply which both Houses made thereto in these words We are heartily sorry we have such plentiful matter of an Answer to that Question HAVE I VIOLATED YOUR LAWS You proceed Pag. 9. Sir saying That the Applications from the two Houses at this time were for NOTHING LESS than the MILITIA You are out again Doctor and would I use the Royal Language wherewith the Earl of Holland was intterrupted by the King in reading the Declaration to him at New-market I might with more Truth than he did say THAT' 's FALSE THAT' 's A LIE For in recounting some Particulars of the Declaration I have demonstrated that their Application was also for other and less Matters than the Militia they humbly petitioned him to put away his wicked Counsellors and to return to his Parliament You add That the King continuing stedfast to his Resolution and DEAF TO ALL THEIR IMPORIVNITIES The want of Ears I must tell you Reverend Sir cost him his Head at last telling them That he would nor part with his Militia for an Hour I must help you a little in this part of the Story too The Earl of Pembrook ask'd him Whether the Militia might not be granted as was desired by the Parliament for a time HIS MAJESTY SWORE BY GOD NOT FOR AN HOUR This shews him a little more stubbornly stedfast than you would tell the World however you told too much in this place or his Majesty resolved and swore too fast for afterwards you say That at the Treaty at Vxbridg Pag. 20. He consented that the Militia for three Years should be in the Hands of twenty Commissioners the one half to be nominated by the two Houses Your next words are these THE MILITIA THEY MUST HAVE Pag. 9. OR THE NATION IS UNDONE The State of the Kingdom at that Day considered there never fell from your Pen a greater Truth than what you have here delivered for besides the particular Instances which I have already given you of the King's Invasion of the Priviledges of the Parliament of the Rights of the People and of his Prâ—â—â—â—ations for War against them I must here inform you that in the beginning of the Year 1641 a time when the King was in appearance transacting Matters amicably with the two Houses and we seemed to be in a deep Peace a time when he declared that he had received no other carriage from his Parliament than what he professed himself satisfied with and that if the Bills he had past were again to be offered he should chearfully and readily assent unto them even then he dispatched away Letters and an Agent to the King of Denmark complaining of the Parliament and asking Supplies from thence AD PROPVLSANDOS HOSTES you know the English of that is to subdue his Enemies and declared himself in these words ☜ ad alia Consilia Animum convertendum duximus VVe resolve to betake our self to new Counsels the very words he used to the Parliament in the Year 1628. Further upon the Discovery of his Plot to bring up the English Army against the Parliament he turned to the Scotish Army then at Newcastle and baited his Temptation with a rich Reward not only to have 300000 l. in hand and the Spoil of London but four Northern Counties to be made Scotish Moreover to encourage them to joyn with him he declared to them that he was to have Money and Horse from Denmark and that he would made York the place of his Residence for the better Accommodation of both Nations or fuller Revenge upon London He also gathered Men in London under pretence of raising Forces for Portugal who were to possess themselves of the Tower The Queen in Holland was buying Arms and his Majesty had actually raised Forces in divers Counties The Parliament was all this time petitioning in Peace And for the Reasons now assigned amongst many others They humbly besought him that he would be pleased to put the Tower of London and the Militia into the hands of such Persons as should be recommended to him by both Houses of Parliament The King seemed to comply herein and by his Answer promised them that the Militia should be put into such hands as they should approve of or recommend to him hereupon both Houses nominated Persons of the greatest Honour as fit for that Trust to give you the Names of some of them the Earls of Holland Rutland Bedford Bullingbrook Salisbury Warwick Pembrook Leicester Stamford Essex Clare Northumberland Lincoln Suffolk c. Lords Paget North Strange Roberts Grey of Werk Chandois Dacres Mandeville Wharton Spencer Brook Herbert Fielding Littleton Lord Keeper c. Men eminent in all Quallifications of Honour and Sufficiency were recommended for several Counties and the King was desired to agree thereunto as he had promised upon his delaying to give a satisfactory Answer they again petition him to give such an Answer as might raise in them a Confidence that they should not be exposed to the Practices of those who thirst after the Ruin of the Kingdom and the kindling that Combustion in England which they had effected in Ireland That nothing could enable them to suppress THE REBELLION IN IRELAND and secure England but the granting of their humble Petition which they find so absolutely necessary for the preservation of the King and Common-wealth that the Laws of God and Man injoyn them to see it put in Execution They again by a Petition presented at Theobalds March 1 1641. intreated him that he would at last be pleased to grant their necessary Petition concerning the
provide for the Security and Honour of your Royal Posterity and the prosperous Estate of all your Subjects And we do in the presence of Almighty God profess That we will receive your Majesty with all Honour yield you all due Obedience and Subjection and faithfully endeavour to secure your Person and Estate from all Danger and to the uttermost of our Power to procure and establish to your Self and to your People all the Blessings of a glorious and happy Reign You see Sir the LORDS AND COMMONS TALK'D LIKE CHRISTIANS They were grieved at the Miseries of the Kingdoms They detested the Romish Idolatry When they sent their Army against the Enemies of the King and Kingdom they supplicate his Majesty not to mix his Danger with theirs but to return in Peace to his Parliament and compose the Distempers of his Kingdoms and provide for the Security and Honour of his Posterity They IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD PROFESS that they would receive him with all Honour yield him all due Subjection endeavour to secure him from Danger and make his Reign Glorious and Happy WHICH WORDS CERTAINLY ARE NOT THE WORDS OF TRAITORS But all this would not do for he resolved to answer their Petitions in Blood and proclaimed the Earl of Essex Rebel Yet to blind the Eyes of the Multitude and disguise his pernicious and cruel Intentions under the semblance of Peace and Justice he made as you Doctor have observed divers solemn Protestations with fearful Imprecations upon himself and invocation of God's Holy Name That he intended nothing but the Peace and Welfare of his People the maintenance of Religion and the Laws of the Kingdom and for his own security only to raise a Guard for his Person and that he did from his Soul abhor the thought of making War against the Parliament or to put the Kingdom into a Combustion Nevertheless his contrary intentions were at that very instant manifested by these ensuing Actions and Proceedings before the Parliament voted the raising of their Army He put a Garison of Souldiers into Newcastle The * Upon the 27th of Septemb. 1642 he not only allowed but required the Papists of Lancashire to provide Arms for themselves their Servants and Tenants and all without doubt for the Service of the Church of England Papists in a peremptory manner in the King's Name demanded their Arms taken from them according to the Laws to be again restored to them He caused the Mouth of the River Tine to be fortified whereby the whole Trade of Newcastle for Coals was subject to be interrupted whensoever he should please A Ship laden with Cannon for Battery Powder and Ammunition was brought for him into the River of Humber which also brought several Commanders from Foreign Parts Also divers other large Preparations of Warlike Provisions were made beyond the Sea and shortly expected besides great Numbers of Gentlemen Horses and Arms were drawn from all parts of the Kingdom and all the Gentlemen of Yorkshire required to bring in their Horses for the King's Service Commissions for raising Horse were granted and divers Officers for his Army were appointed Upon the 4th of July the King rendezvouzed an Army of a considerable number of Horse and Foot and Beverly amongst whom there were divers Papists and other Persons of desperate Fortune and Condition ready to execute any Violence Rapine and Oppression He sent some Troops of Horse into Lincolnshire to the great Terror of the People They began to take away Mens Horses by force and to commit Acts of Hostility These are sad Truths Reverend Doctor and the King having thus contrary to his solemn Protestation begun the War the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament held themselves bound in Conscience to raise Forces for the preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom and Protection of the People in their Persons and Estates according to Law and for the Defence and Security of the Parliament and accordingly upon the 12th of July 1642 and not before as I have already told you they voted the raising an Army for these purposes Now in regard as I understand you were before your Dotage a Presbyterian Minister of Essex I would gladly set your poor Judgment right in this great Point of as well the Necessity as Justice of the Parliament War and in regard that I find you prejudiced against Dr. Seaman and Mr. Calamy I will not offer their Opinion to you but pray see what the learned and pious Mr. Daniel Rogers of Wethersfield Mr. Matthew Newcomen of Dedham and above sixty eminent Ministers of so many several Towns in Essex left under their hands in relation to this Controversy between you and me We say they call the God of Heaven and Earth to witness upon our Souls that it was not hatred to any Party or Person much less to the Person of OUR KING that first drew â—â—s to engage with and for the PARLIAMENT but clearly this some Years before the assembling of this Parliament we evidently saw the Affairs of Church and State in imminent and apparent hazardâ— many and great Alterations made in Doctrine Innovations in Worship the Power of Godliness disgrac'd true Religion undermined the faithful and conscientious Professors of it persecuted even to Bonds Flight and Imprisonment POPERY CONNIVED AT COUNTENANCED COURTED besides many grievous Oppressions of the Subjects in their Liberties and Properties These things we saw and signed for but had no thoughts of inviting any to make Resistance tho against the abused Name and Power of a misguided King whom we much pitied in his Miscarriages until it pleased God to bless us with A PARLIAMENT THE ORDINARY MEANS WHICH HE HATH APPOINTED IN THIS NATION FOR THE REDRESSING OF SUCH GROWING EVILS The Parliament meet declare their Apprehensions of the Danger of CHURCH AND STATE apply themselves to all humble and submiss ways by PETITIONS See the Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Decemb. 15. 1641. REMONSTRANCES c. speak nothing but honourably of the King lay the blame of all Miscarriages upon Evil Counsellors require them to Trial But God for our Sins and his shuts up his Majesty's Heart against these Addresses instead of yielding up those whom the Parliament demands he demands some of their Members seconds his Demand with a. Face of Violence And HERE BEGAN THAT MOST UNHAPPY BREACH the Parliament upon this desire a Guard the King apprehended OR PRETENDED Terror he leaves his Parliament upon it and UNDER SHADOW OF A GUARD for his Person RAISETH AN ARMY sets up his STANDARD c. The Story is too long and sad for us to relate but hence arose that Fire which since hath burnt almost to the very Foundation and who knows when it will be quenched The Parliament seeing which way the Counsels of the King steered apprehend a necessity of raising Arms FOR THE DEFENCE OF THEMSELVES AND THE KINGDOM When the War was first commenced their Army carried a Petition in the one hand as well as a
words I have thought of one means more to furnish thee with for my Assistance than hitherto thou hast had it is that I GIVE THEE POWER TO PROMISE IN MY NAME THAT I will * If this were so good a King Why so much Clamour against K. James the Second for designing the same thing take away all the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholicks in England as soon as God shall enable me to do it Another Letter to her of the 20th of March hath this Expression I find that Thou much mistakes Me concerning Ireland I DESIRE NOTHING MORE THAN A PEACE there and never forbad thy Commerce there In relation to Ireland he wrote to the Marquess of Ormond to this effect Jan. 7. THE REBELS HERE have agreed to TREAT AND MOST ASSUREDLY ONE OF THE FIRST and chief ARTICLES they will insist on will be TO CONTINUE THE IRISH WAR WHICH IS A POINT NOT POPULAR FOR ME TO BREAK ON of which you are to make a double use First TO HASTEN WITH ALL POSSIBLE DILIGENCE THE PEACE THERE the timely conclusion of which will take off that Inconvenience which otherwise I may be subject to by the refusal of that Article upon any other Reason Secondly By dexterous conveying to the Irish the Danger there may be of their total and perpetual EXCLUSION FROM THOSE FAVOURS I INTEND THEM in case THE REBELS here elap up a Peace with me NOT DOUBTING OF A PEACE I must again remember you TO PRESS THE IRISH for their speedy Assistance to me here and their Friends in Scotland I DESIRE that THE IRISH would send as great a Body as they can to land about Cumberland WHICH WILL PUT THOSE NORTHERN COUNTIES IN A BRAVE CONDITION Upon the 14th of January he writes thus to the Queen As for the Peace of Ireland to shew thee the Care I have had of it and the Fruits I hope to receive from it I have sent thee the last Dispatches I have sent concerning it FOR GOD'S SAKE LET NONE KNOW THE PARTICULARS OF MY DISPATCHES By another Letter he commanded Ormond To dispatch the Irish Peace out of hand and thereby promises that the PENAL LAWS against Roman Catholicks SHALL NOT BE PUT IN EXECUTION the Peace being made and that when the Irish give him that Assistance which they have promised for the suppression of THIS REBELLION then he would consent to the Repeal of them by a Law and concludes RECOMMENDING TO HIM AGAIN THE SPEEDY DISPATCH OF THE PEACE OF IRELAND Another Letter to Ormond upon the 27th of Feb. 1644 was That HE THOUGHT HIMSELF bound IN CONSCIENCE not to lose that Assistance which he might hope from his IRISH SUBJECTS for such Scruples as in a less pressing condition might reasonably be stuck at by him and therefore commanded him to conclude a Peace with the Irish WHATSOEVER IT COST so that his Protestant Subjects there might be secured and his Regal Authority preserved If the present taking away of the Penal Laws against Papists will do it said he I shall not think it a hard Bargain so that freely and vigorously they engage themselves in my Assistance against MY REBELS of England and Scotland FOR WHICH NO CONDITIONS CAN BE TOO HARD not being aginst Conscience or Honour By another Letter to the Marquess of Ormond in the same Month he writes thus Now again I cannot but mention the Necessity of hastening the Irish Peace for which I hope you are already furnished by me with Materials sufficient But in case against all Expectation and Reason PEACE CANNOT BE HAD UPON THOSE TERMS YOU MUST NOT BY ANY MEANS FALL TO A NEW RUPTURE with them but continue THE CESSATION He wrote to the Duke of Richmond one of his Commissioners for the Vxbridg Treaty There was at this time high Division in London between the Presbyterians and Independents therefore to ruin both by somentiâ—â— Misunderstandings between them the Independents are to be cajoled A thing worthy remembrance in all times TO REMEMBER TO CAJOLE WELL THE INDEPENDENTS AND THE SCOTS Nay he instructed Secretary Nicholas to bribe the Commissioners for the Parliament with the promise of Security Rewards and Places Well now upon the whole Matter pray tell me ingenuously good Doctor Whether did the King or the Parliament more sincerely aim at the desired Peace in this Treaty I am clearly of opinion that he frustrated the Hopes of a happy Composure at this time for whatever you alledg had he used the same moderation here and granted those things he offered to yield to afterwards as I may have occasion to shew you hereafter the unhappy War had then been ended But though he pretended to listen to Overtures of Peace because his own Party were weary of the War yet he was found to use Tricks of Legerdemain and by this and his other Treaties aimed only at the getting some Advantage by secret Treacheries and under-hand Dealings I have told you that one of the three main Heads to be treated upon was Ireland That was to be anticipated and forestall'd by a Peace at any Rate to be huddled up with the Irish Rebels e're the Treaty could begin that he might pretend his Word and Honour past against the popular Arguments which the Parliament might urge upon him for the continuance of that just War The English during the Treaty were called perfidious Rebels the IRISH GOOD AND CATHOLICK SUBJECTS He contrived how to make handsom Negatives For fashion-sake he called the Parliament a PARLIAMENT yet by a Jesuitical Slight he did not acknowledg tho call them so He press'd earnestly for Ten thousand Lorrainers to be transported hither and that a Body of the bloody Irish Rebels might be landed in Cumberland delighting himself that they would put the Northern Counties into A BRAVE CONDITION for he well knew that they had destroyed above One hundred and forty thousand Protestants in their own Kingdom and were therefore without doubt very fit Men to assist him in the maintaining THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND He boasted of his choice of Commissioners for the Treaty and that they would stick close to the NOTE OF INSTRUCTIONS which he and the Queen had concerted and assured her that HE WOULD EVER SHEW HIS CONSTANCY IN ADHERING TO BISHOPS AND PAPISTS He impowered the Queen to treat with the Irish and to give assurance that he would take away THE PENAL LAWS against Papists in England In fine Nothing is more evident than that he used Treaties pretending Peace to no other End than to gain Advantages that might enable him to carry on War And methinks it should not offend you to hear that Opinion not only a Minister but a Martyr for Monâ—â—â—oy had of this King the famous Mr. Christopher Love 〈◊〉 lost his Head upon Tower-hill which I am confident you wâ—â—â— never do for any Cause tho you live near it preaching before the Parliament Commissioners at this Vxbridg Treaty expresâ—â—â— himself thus It would search to the quick to find out WHETHER
KING JAMES AND PRINCE HENRY HIS SON CAME TO A TIMELY DEATH YEA OR NO Some Parliaments have been but short-liv'd when there was but a muttering that enquiry should be made of their Deaths It would search to the quick to know WHETHER ROCHEL and all THE PROTESTANTS in it were not betrayed into the hands of their Enemies AND BY WHOM It would go to the quick to find out WHETHER THE IRISH REBELLION was not plotted promoted countenanced and contrived in England AND BY WHOM Now I hope Reverend Sir that you will not have the face to deny but Mr. Love was a Consciencious and Pious Divine and I will finish this Head in telling you though a little out of course that the Earls of Northumberland Pembroke Salisbury and Denbigh with the Lord Wainman Sir Henry Vane Mr. Pierepont Mr. Holles Mr. Prideaux Mr. St. John Mr. Whitlock and Mr. Câ—â—w Commissioners for the Parliament in the Treaty we have been talking of were as well as you boast the King's Comnissioners to have been Men of Honour and Honesty Men of Fortunes and Estates Men of great Parts and Endowments who understood the Business they went about and were very fond of healing the Nations Breaches and putting things into such a posture as might settle the King upon his just Rights and the People upon their ancient Priviledges Well Sir for my own Comfort if not for yours I purpose to trouble my self at least at this present with but one thing more in your Tract You say That the Scots notwithstanding all their Promises and Obligations SELL THE KING TO THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT 'T is a Divine Truth Men are not only ignorant because they cannot but because they will not know the Truth And I cannot conceive that you believe what you here assert Therefore that my Country-men may be undeceived and our Brethren of Scotland vindicated I will set this Matter in its true Light The King had fled to the Scotish Army at Newcastle then in the Parliament's Service and Pay there Propositions for Peace were made unto him which he rejected The War being happily ended the Parliament were in arrear to the Scots for their assistance in it Four hundred thousand Pounds It was agreed that half that Sum should be presently paid upon receipt whereof the Scots were to deliver up not the King but Berwick Newcastle and Carlisle to the Parliament 'T is far from Truth that this was the Price of the King for the Parliament freely granted to the Scots that they might carry him if they pleased to Edinburgh But they refused it affirming that by his Presence in an unsettled Nation new Commotions might arise They rather desired which was also the King's desire that he might be carried into the Southern parts of England and live in some of his Palaces near London which they thought more convenient for treating of a Peace So that in all the whole Debate they seemed to contend not who should have the King but who should not have him Nevertheless to cast a slander upon both Nations for certainly 't is as wicked a thing to buy as to sell such Merchandize You Sir will have it that the Scots sold him the English bought him but WILFULNESS EVER WAS THE GREATEST BLINDNESS Reverend Sir I shall for the present discharge you and my self from further trouble You think I suppose that you make me a very merciful Offer That if I will repent and do so no more I may hope to live in Peace and you will not further lash me with any more such Scourges as I have been but now tortured with but if I shall persist and appear incorrigible you have more Rods in Piss and will pay me off You have much more to say in the behalf of King Charles the First 't is well if you have for I am sure 't is very little that you have hitherto said and you assure me I shall have it and resolve That as long as you can hold a Pen in your Hand you will not drop his Cause There 's no Remedy then but I must abide your Fury for I resolve never to ask Forgiveness and promise to do so no more But on the contrary to write on as I have leisure and you give me occasion in the defence of the Laws and Liberties of my Country Upon which Subject I have much more to say and if you will not be quiet you shall have it I love the Cause too well to drop it and will wear my Steell Pen to the stumps in its defence And Now seeing we are eternally to differ in this Point I desire to settle two things with you for the more orderly Prosecution of this dreadful War 1. That we as Duellists agree the length of their Weapons may resolve how often to trouble the World with our Impertinencies I think once or if you will have it so twice because there are TWO MADDING-DAYS in a Year may suffice 2. That after you have fairly answer'd this and my former Letter by falsifying which as a Preliminary I shall expect from you the many particular Instances I have brought to shew that your admired Prince was a Tyrant or else to prove that they are not Acts or Evidences of Tyranny you would then in the further Prosecution of that Defence which you have undertaken and indeed of Criminating one of the greatest and best deserving Parliaments that even England saw lay aside your loose and general way of discoursing and come to Particulars when you shall so proceed and are failed of a clear Answer then and not till then the day will be your own For tho throughout your whole Discourse which I have been examining you Rebellize the Lords and Commons and fly in the Face of the Parliament with the King 's gracious MESSAGES SAYINGS c. Othâ—â—s may upon better grounds sum up the humble condescending convincing PETITIONS MESSAGES DECLARATIONS c. of the Parliament and dash them all into your Face than you can those Messages and Sayings of the King into the Faces of all who declare that he was a proud Nimrod a hardened Pharaoh in plain English A MERCILESS TYRANT Lastly To encourage you to further Conversation with me the some Men are so impudent as to say that it is not Day when the Sun it self doth shire you shall see that I am not resolved against Conviction but that being under the Command of good Manners I rest not satisfied in the Confession which I made in the beginning of this Letter of an Error committed in my former in relation to the Noble Lord Conway sometime Secretary of State to King Charles the First but shall more fully do it in this place Being misguided by the Printer's Mistake in Rushworth's first Collections from whence I took it I was led to say in my last Year's Letter pag. 7. That the Lord Conway said in Parliament that he never hated Popery whereas his words were that he ever hared it and I have now certain ground