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
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
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
him about it What say you next Pag. 10. Mr. Chaplain at Aldgate Why To let the World see what the King aimed at He does assure the Gentlemen whose Loyalty engaged them early on his Side and does promise them in the Presence of Almighty God and as he hopes for his Blessing and Protection that he would to the utmost of his Power defend and maintain the true Protestant Religion establish'd in the Church of England You almost provoke me Doctor to draw up a Petition to your Right Honourable and Right Reverend Diocesan to suspend you from writing DEFENCES till you swear to do them honestly then and not till then we may hope for the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth I am credibly informed that there was something more in this Speech than you are willing to acknowledg 'T is the same I take it for granted that his Majesty made at the Head of his Army between Stafford and Wellington the 19th of September 1642. He then had these Expressions also The time cannot be long before we come to Action You shall meet with no Enemies but TRAITORS MOST OF THEM â—ROWNISTS ANABAPTISTS AND ATHEISTS These were the Words of a King I shall not therefore reflect further upon them than to ask you upon the Oath which you are to take Whether you do in your Conscience believe that the Great the Good the pious King spoke Truth here Whether he had not more Atheists and Papists in his Army than the Parliament had Brownists and Anabaptists in theirs Your next Effort is this Pag. 12. You fall upon the Consideration of the Steps his Majesty made towards Peace and thus express your self Truly I think ACCORDING TO MY POOR JVDGMENT he now Acts according to what he always pretended and solemnly avowed to wit as a true Father of his Country for be proposes That HIS REVENVE MAGAZINES TOWNS SHIPS AND FORTS may be restored to him and all should be well Now I will readily agree that there is here and there found a Doctor nay a Chaplain too of a poor Judgment but one would think that he that is conscious of his own Weakness and Incapacity should not assume the Arrogance to judg in Matters of Right between Princes and their People And I will here tell you what better Heads than you or I ever wore said upon this Point The Opinion of the Parliament was That his Majesty's Towns were no more his own than his Kingdom is his own and his Kingdom is no more his own than his People are his own And if the King had a Propriety in all his Towns what would become of the Subjects Property in their Houses therein And if he had a Propriety in his Kingdom what would become of the Subjects Property in their Lands throughout the Kingdom or of their Liberties if his Majesty had the same Right in their Persons that every Subject hath in his Lands This ERRONEOVS MAXIM being infused into Princes THAT THEIR KINGDOMS ARE THEIR OWN and that they may do with them what they will AS IF THEIR KINGDOMS were for them and not they for their Kingdoms is the Root of all the Subjects Misery and of the invading of their just Rights and Liberties whereas INDEED THEY ARE ONLY INTRVSTED with their Kingdoms and with their Towns and with their People and with the Publick Treasures of the Common-Wealth and whatsoever is bought therewith and by the known Law of the Kingdom the VERY JEWELS OF THE CROWN are not the King 's PROPER Goods but are only intrusted unto him for the Vse and Ornament thereof as the Towns Forts Treasure Magazines Offices and the People of the Kingdom and the whole Kingdom it self is entrusted unto him for the Good Safety and best Advantage thereof And AS THIS TRVST IS FOR THE VSE OF THE KINGDOM SO IT OVGHT TO BE MANAGED BY THE ADVICE OF THE HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT whom the Kingdom hath trusted for that purpose it being their Duty to see it be discharged according to the condition and true indent thereof and as much as in them lies by all possible means to prevent the contrary Not to enquire what you Sir in your poor Judgment do think of this high Principle I will move with what speed I can to a Conclusion I told you not long since That the Lords and Commons voted the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex and at the same time humbly but in vain supplicated the King for Peace and to return to his Parliament When the General marched with his Forces towards the Army raised against the Parliament and Kingdom He was instructed to fight at such Time and Place as he should judg most to conduce to the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom but was also commanded to cause a Petition of both Housâ—s to be presented to his Majesty wherein they thus expressed themselves We cannot without great grief and tenderness of Compassion behold the pressing Miseries the imminent Dangers the devouring Calamities which do extreamly threaten the Kingdoms of England and Ireland by the practice of a Party prevailing with your Majesty who by many wicked Plots and Conspiracies have attempted the alteration of the true Religion and the ancient Government of this Kingdom and the introducing of POPISH IDOLATRY AND SVPERSTITION in the CHVRCH and TYRANNY and CONFVSION in the STATE And for the compassing thereof have long corrupted your Majesty's Counsels abused your Power and by sudden and untimely dissolving of the former Parliaments have often hindred the Reformation and Prevention of those Mischiefs and being now disabled to avoid the Endeavours of this Parliament by any such Means have TRAITEROVSLY attempted to over-awe the same by Force And in prosecution of their wicked Designs have EXCITED ENCOVRAGED AND FOSTER'D an unnatural REBELLION in IRELAND and have drawn your MAJESTY to make War against your Parliament as if you intended by CONQVEST to establish an ABSOLVTE ILLIMITED I OWER over them And by YOVR POWER and the countenance of your Presence have SPOILED IMPRISONED MVRDERED divers of your People And for their better assistance in these wicked Designs do seek to bring over the Rebels of Ireland to join with them WE HAVE for the just and necessary Defence of the Protestant Religion of your Majesty's Person of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and the Priviledg and Power of Parliament TAKEN VP ARMS and appointed Robert Earl of Essex to be Captain General of all the Forces by us raised and to head and conduct the same against these REBELS and TRAITORS and them to subdue and bring to condign Punishment And do most humbly beseech your Majesty to withdraw your Royal Presence and Countenance from these wicked Persons and THAT YOVR MAJESTY WILL NOT MIX YOVR OWN DANGER WITH THEIRS but in Peace and Safety forthwith return to your Parliament and by their faithful Counsel and Advice compose the present Distempers and Confusions abounding in both your Kingdoms and
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
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
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
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
Militia and declared that if he refused to do it in these times of Distraction they must be inforced to dispose of it for the Safety of the Kingdom in such manner as had been propounded to his Majesty They followed him with the same humble Supplication in his several Removes to York but HE HAVING ABDICATED the Parliament and BEING DEAF as you most ingenuously confess TO ALL THEIR IMPORTUNITIES they declared that there had been of late a most desperate Design upon the House of Commons which they had just cause to believe was an Effect of the BLOODY COVNSELS of PAPISTS and other ill-affected Persons who had already raised A REBELLION IN IRELAND and by reason of many Discoveries they could not but fear they would proceed not only to stir up the like REBELLION AND INSVRRECTION in this Kingdom but also to back them with Forces from abroad and thereupon both Houses made an Ordinance for the ordering the Militia of England and Wales there appearing an urgent and inevitable Necessity for putting his Majesty's Subjects in a Posture of Defence for the Safeguard of both his Majesty and the People And they RESOLVED that in this case of extream Danger and of his Majesty's refusal the Ordinance agreed to by both Houses for the Militia doth oblige the People and OVGHT TO BE OBEYED by the Fundamental Eaws of this Kingdom They further about that time RESOLVED That the King's Absence so far remote from his Parliament was not only an Obstruction but MIGHT BE A DESTRVCTION to the Affairs of Ireland And now Sir having laid before you the Grounds of the Parliament's proceeding as they did in the business of the Militia I will shew you how much higher our Fore-fathers went than we did in 1641. They were of that Courage and Severity of Zeal to Justice and their Native Liberty against the proud Contempt and Mis-rule of their Kings that when RICHARD the Second departed but from a Committee of Lords who sat preparing Matters for the Parliament they required the King then withdrawn no further off than the Tower to come to Westminster WHICH HE REFUSING THEY FLATLY TOLD HIM THAT UNLESS HE CAME THEY WOULD CHOOSE ANOTHER KING So high a Crime it was accounted then for a King to absent himself much less would they have suffered that a King should leave his Regal Station and the whole Kingdom bleeding to Death of those Wounds which his own unskilful and perverse Government had made Yet WE IN OUR DAY went not their length THE KING HAD ABDICATED our Religion Lives and Liberties were threatned with most imminent Danger from intestine Enemies and Foreign Force WE only made a most necessary Provision that our own Swords should not be imployed to the Destruction of all that was dear unto us And pray what harm what Rebellion was there in all this The next thing we meet with in your Defence Pag. 10. REVEREND DOCTOR is this Before the War actually broke out the King was gone to York hoping thereby to COOL THE HEATS that were AT LONDON and in some little time TO BE INVITED thither to live with more Honour and Safety than he did before The King in truth went to York in a high Chafe hoping for something beyond and contrary to what you intimate 't was in hopes that to enable himself the better for that dismal War which he had resolved upon he might possess himself of Hull a Town of great Strength and most advantagiously situated both for Sea and Land Affairs and which was at that time the Magazine of all the Arms which he had bought with Money most illegally extorted from his Subjects to use in a causless and most unjust Civil War against his Subjects of Scotland Did he hope for an Invitation back to London Why he had that very often made to him in a most humble and earnest manner in particular by a Petition of the Lords and Commons presented to him at York the 26th of March 1642. They humbly advised and beseeched him that FOR THE RECOVERY OF IRELAND and securing this Kingdom he would be graciously pleased with all convenient speed to return to London and to close with the Counsel of his Parliament where he should find their dutiful Affections and Endeavours ready to attend him with such Entertainment as should not only give him just cause of Security in their Faithfulness but other manifold Evidences of their Intentions and Endeavours to advance his Majesty's Service Honour and Contentment and to establish it upon the sure Foundation of the Peace and Prosperity of his Kingdoms EXPRESSIONS surely Doctor THAT DO NOT IN THE LEAST SAVOUR OF REBELLION AND TREASON The deaf King instead of hearkning to this dutiful Petition and Invitation summoned the Gentry of that County to attend him at York where he made the most bitter Invectives against the Parliament and stirred them up to raise Horse and Foot for his Service His Majesty found but six Gentlemen to comply with his Demand of raising Men tho made under the pretence of a Guard The greater part of the Gentlemen and divers thousands of Freeholders gave him an Answer under their hands to this effect We humbly beseech your Majesty to impart the grounds of your Fears and Jealousies to your High Court of Parliament OF WHOSE MOST LOYAL CARE AND AFFECTION TO YOVR MAJESTY'S HONOVR AND SAFETY WE ARE MOST CONFIDENT and WHATSOEVER SHALL BE ADVISED BY YOVR GREAT COVNCIL we shall most willingly imbrace and give our Concurrence and Assistance to it as shall become us And WE ARE MOST ASSVRED that your Royal Person shall be secure in the general Fidelity of your Subjects of this County without any extraordinary GUARD The King was presented the next day with a Petition from many thousands who justly stiled themselves peaceably affected Subjects in the County of York in which they speak thus That many of them in their late Desires of petitioning your Majesty were denied Access kept back with Violence and affronted by some who had Dependance on your Majesty and were threatned that WHEN YOVR MAJESTY'S ARMY SHOVLD BE ON FOOT those should be first pillaged that refused to subscribe to the raising of Forces which we humbly conceive are POSITIVELY CONTRARY TO YOVR MAJESTY'S OWN EXPRESSIONS c. We humbly supplicate your Majesty to cast your Eye upon the present State of this your Kingdom We are confident that no so absolute and hearty Observance to your Majesty's just Commands can be demostrated as what your Majesty in Parliament shall declare which IF IT BECOME DIVIDED as God forbid our Hearts even tremble to consider the Dangers and Diminution of the Honour and Safety your Majesty's Posterity and Kingdoms will unavoidably be put upon Since it is clear to every Vnderstanding that IT IS NOT A DIVIDED PART OF ONE OR SEVERAL COVNTIES THAT can afford that Honour and Safety to your Majesty AS THE WHOLE KINGDOM WHICH YOV MAT COMMAND no ground of Fear or Danger remaining if a good
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