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A56211 The soveraigne povver of parliaments and kingdomes divided into foure partsĀ· Together with an appendix: wherein the superiority of our owne, and most other foraine parliaments, states, kingdomes, magistrates, (collectively considered,) over and above their lawfull emperours, kings, princes, is abundantly evidenced, confirmed by pregnant reasons, resolutions, precedents, histories, authorities of all sorts; the contrary objections re-felled: the treachery and disloyalty of papists to their soveraignes, with their present plots to extirpate the Protestant religion demonstrated; and all materiall objections, calumnies, of the King, his counsell, royallists, malignants, delinquents, papists, against the present Parliaments proceedings, (pretended to be exceeding derogatory to the Kings supremacy, and subjects liberty) satisfactorily answered, refuted, dissipated in all particulars. By William Prynne, utter-barrester, of Lincolnes Inne. It is on this second day of August, 1643. ordered ... that this booke ... be printed by Michael Sparke ...; Soveraigne power of parliaments and kingdomes Prynne, William, 1600-1669. 1643 (1643) Wing P4087A; ESTC R203193 824,021 610

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of Saint Michael in the yeere of our Lord God 1389. and the 23. yeere of King Richard the second witnesseth that where by the Authority of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall of this present Parliament and Commons of the same the right honourable and discreet persons hereunder named were by the said Authority assigned to goe unto the Tower of London there to heare and testifie such Questions and Answers as then and there should be by the said honourable and discreet persons heard Know all men to whom these present Letters shall come That we Sir Richard Scroop Archbishop of York Iohn Bishop of Hereford Henry Earle of Northamberland Ralfe Earle of Westmerland Thomas Lord of Barkly William Abbot of Westminster Iohn Prior of Canterbury William Thirning and Hugh Burnell Knights and Iohn Markham Justice Thomas Stowe and Iohn Burbage Doctors of the Law civill Thomas Fereby and Denis Lopham Notaries publike the day and yeer abovesaid betweene the houres of eight and nine of the clock before noone were present in the chiefe Chamber of the Kings lodging within the said place of the Tower where was rehearsed to the King by the mouth of the foresaid E. of Northumb. that before time at Conway in north Wales the King being there at his pleasure and liberty promised unto the Archbishop of Canterbury then Thomas Arundell and unto the said Earle of Northumberland that for insufficiency which he knew himselfe to be of to occupie so great a charge as to governe this Realm of England he would gladly leave off and renounce the right and title as well of that as of his title to the Crowne of France and his Majestie unto Henry Duke of Hertford and that to doe in such convenient wise as by the learned men of this Landit should most sufficiently be by them devised and ordained To the which rehearsall the King in our said presences answered benignly and said That such promise he made and so to the same he was at that houre in full purpose to perform and fulfill saving that he desired first to have personall speech with the said Duke and with the Archbishop of Canterbury his Couzens And furthermore he desired to have a Bill drawn of the said Resignation that he might be made perfect in the rehearsall thereof After which Copy by me the said Earle delivered we the said Lords and others departed And upon the same afternoone the King desired much of the comming of the Duke of Lancaster at the last the said Duke with the Archbishop of Canterbury entred the foresaid Chamber bringing with them the Lord Ros the Lord Burgeiney the Lord Willoughbie with divers others where after due obeysance done by them unto the King he familiarly and with a glad countenance to us appearing talked with the said Archbishop and Duke a good season And that Communication finished the King with a glad countenance in presence o● us and the other above rehearsed said openly That he was ready to renounce and resigne all his Kingly Majestie in manner and forme as he before seasons had promised And although he had and might sufficiently have declared his renouncement by the reading of another meane person yet he for the more surety of the matter and for the said resignation should have his full force and strength he therefore read the Scroll of resignation himselfe in manner and forme as followeth In the Name of God Amen I Richard by the grace of God King of England and of France and Lord of Ireland acquit and assoile all Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates secular or religious of what dignity degree state or condition that they be of and also all Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons Lords and all mine other liege men both spirituall and secular of what manner of name or degree they be from their Oath of fealty and homage and all other Deeds and Priviledges made unto me and from all manner of Bonds of Allegeance and Regality or Lordship in the which they were or be bound to me or in any otherwise constrained and them their heires and successours for evermore from the same Bonds and Oaths I release deliver acquit and let them for ever be free dissolved and acquit and to be harmlesse for so much as belongeth to my person by any manner way or title of right that to me might follow of the foresaid things or any of them And also I resigne all my Kingly Dignity Majesty and Crowne with all the Lordships Power and Priviledges to the foresaid Kingly Dignity and Crown belonging and all other Lordships and Possessions to me in any manner of wise pertaining what name or condition they be of out take the Lands and Possessions for me and mine obite purchased and bought And I renounce all right and colour of right and all manner of title of possession and Lordship which I ever had or have in the same Lordships and possessions or any of them or to them with any manner of rights belonging or appertaining unto any part of them And also the rule and governance of the same Kingdome and Lordships with all ministrations of the same and all things and every of them that so the whole Empire and Iurisdictions of the same belongeth of right or in any wise may belong And also I renounce the name worship and r●gality and kingly highnesse cleerly freely singularly and wholly in the most best manner and forme that I may and with deed and word I leave off and resigne them and go from them for evermore saving alway to my successors Kings of England all the Rights Priviledges and appurtenances to the said Kingdome and Lordships abovesaid belonging and appertaining For well I wote and acknowledge and deem my selfe to be and have bin unsufficient and unable and also unprofitable and for mine open deserts not unworthy to be put down And I sweare upon the holy Evangelists here presently with my hands touched that I shall never repugne to this resignation dimission or yeelding up nor never impugne them in any manner by word or by deed by my selfe nor by none other nor I shall not suffer it to be impugned in as much as in me is privily nor apart but I shall have hold and keep this renouncing dimission and leaving up for firme and stable for evermore in all and in every part thereof so God me helpe and all Saints and by this holy Evangelist by me bodily touched and kissed And for more record of the same here openly I subscribe and signe this present Resignation with mine owne hand And forthwith in our presences and other subscribed the same and after delivered it to the Archbishop of Canterbury saying That if it were in his power or at his assignment he would that the Duke of Lancaster there present should be Successour and King after him And in token thereof he took a Ring of gold from his finger being his Signet and put it upon the said Dukes finger desiring and requiring the Archbishop
of Yorke to shew and make report unto the Lords of the Parliament of his voluntary Resignation and also of his intent and good minde that he bare toward his Cousin the Duke of Lancaster to have him his Successour and King after him And this done every man took their leave and returned to their own Upon the morrow following being Tuesday and the last day of September all the Lords Spirituall and Temporall with also the Commons of the said Parliament assembled at Westminster where in the presence of them the Archbishop of Yorke according to the Kings desire shewed unto them seriously the voluntary Renouncing of the King with also the favour which he ought unto his Cousin the Duke of Lancaster for to have him his Successour And over that shewed unto them the Scedule or Bill of Renouncement signed with King Richards hand After which things in order by him finished the question was asked first of the Lords If they would admit and allow that Renouncement The which when it was of the Lords granted and confirmed the like question was asked of the Commons and of them in like manner affirmed After which admission it was then declared That notwithstanding the foresaid renouncing so by the Lords and Commons adm●tted it were needfull unto the Realme in avoiding of all suspicions and surmises of evill disposed persons to have in writing and registred the manifold crimes and defaults before done by the said Richard late King of England to the end that they might be first openly shewed to the people and after to remain of Record among the Kings Records The which were drawn and compiled as before is said in 38. Articles and there shewed readie to be read but for other causes then more needfull to be preferred the reading of the said Articles at that season were deferred and put off Then forsomuch as the Lords of the Parliament had well considered this voluntary Renouncement of King Richard and that it was behovefull and necessary for the weale of the Realme to proceed unto the sentence of his deposall they there appointed by authority of the States of the said Parliament the Bishop of Saint Asse the Abbot of Glastenbury the Earle of Glocester the Lord of Barkley William Thyrning Justice and Thomas Erpingham and Thomas Gray Knights that they should give and beare open sentence to the Kings deposition whereupon the said Commissioners laying there their heads together by good deliberation good counsell and advisement and of one assent agreed among them that the Bishop of Saint Asse should publish the sentence for them and in their names as followeth In the Name of God Amen We John Bishop of Saint Asse or Assenence John Abbot of Glastenbury Richard Earle of Glocester Thomas Lord of Barkley William Thyrning Iustice Thomas Erpingham and Thomas Gray Knights chosen and deputed speciall Commissaries by the three Estates of this present Parliament representing the whole body of the Realme for all such matters by the said Estates to us committed We understanding and considering the manifold crimes hurts and harmes done by Richard King of England and misgovernance of the same by a long time to the great decay of the said Land and utter ruine of the same shortly to have been ne had the speciall grace of our Lord God thereunto put the sooner remedie and also furthermore adverting the said King Kichard knowing his own insufficiency hath of his own meere voluntarie and free will renounced and given up the rule and government of this Land with all Rights and Honours unto the same belonging and utterly for his merits hath judged himselfe NOT UNWORTHY TO BE DEPOSED OF ALL KINGLY MAJESTY AND ESTATE ROYALL We the Premisses well considering by good and diligent deliberation by the POWER NAME AND AUTHORITIE TO US AS ABOUE IS SAID COMMITTED PRONOUNCE DISCERNE AND DECLARE the same King Richard before this to have beene and to be unprofitable unable unsufficient and unworthy to the rule and governance of the foresaid Realms Lordships and all other App●rtenances to the same belonging and FOR THE SAME CAUSES WE DEPRIUE HIM OF ALL KINGLY DIGNITIE AND WORSHIP AND OF ANY KINGLY WORSHIP IN HIMSELFE AND WE DEPOSE HIM BY OUR SENTENCE DEFINITIUE forbiding expresly to all Archbishops Bishops and all other Prelates Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons and Knights and to all other men of the aforesaid Kingdom and Lordships or of other places belonging to the same Realmes and Lordships Subjects and Lieges whatsoever they be that none of them from this time forward to the foresaid Richard as King and Lord of the foresaid Realmes and Lordships be neither obedient nor attendant After which sentence thus openly declared the said Estates admitted forthwith the same persons for their Procurators to resigne and yeeld up to King Richard all their homage and fealty which they have made and ought unto him before times and for to shew unto him if need were all things before done that concerned his deposing The which resignation a● that time was spared and put in respite till the morrow next following And anon as this sentence was in this wise passed and that by reason thereof the Realme stood void without Head or Governour for the time the said Duke of Lancaster rising from the place where he before sate and standing where all might behold him he meekly making the signe of the Crosse upon his forehead and upon his breast after silence by an Officer was commanded said unto the people there being these words following In the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost I Henry of Lancaster claime the Realme of England and the Crowne with all the appurtenances as I that am descended by right line of the blood comming from that good Lord King Henry the third and through the right that God of his grace hath sent to me with the helpe of my ki●●e and of my friends to recover the same which was in point to be undone for default of good Governance and due Iustice. After which words thus by him uttered he returned set him down in the place where he before had sitten Then the Lords perceiving and hearing this claim thus made by this noble man either of them frained of other what he thought and after a distance or pause of time the Archbishop of Canterbury having notice of the Lords minde stood up and asked the Commons if they would ASSENT TO THE LORDS WHICH in their mindes thought the claime by the Duke more to BE RIGHTFULL AND NECESSARY FOR THE WEALTH of the Realm and of them all Whereunto they cryed with one voice YEA YEA YEA After which answer the said Archbishop going to the Duke and setting him upon his knee had unto him a few words the which ended he rose and taking the Duke by the right hand led him unto the Kings seat and with great reverence set him therein after a certaine Kneeling and Orison made by the said Duke e●e he were therein set And when the King
judicature as both King and Kingdome may confide in which will be so far from depressing that it will infinitely advance both the Kings Honour Justice profit and the Kingdomes too Seventhly It is undeniable that the Counsellours Judges and Officers of the Kingdome are as well the Kingdoms Councellours Officers and Iudges as the Kings yea more the Kingdoms than the Kings because the King is but for the Kingdoms service and benefit This is evident by the Statute of 14 E. 3. c. 5. which enacts that as well the Chancellour Treasurer Keeper of the Privie Seale the Iustices of the one Bench and of the other the Chancellour and Barons of the Exchequer as Iustices assigned and all they that doe meddle in the said places under them shall make an Oath well and lawfully to SERVE the King and HIS PEOPLE in THEIR OFFICES which Oath was afterward enlarged by 15 E. 3. c. 3. 18 E. 3. Stat. 3. 20 E. 3. c. 1 2 3. 1 Rich. 2. c. 2. swearing and injoyning them To doe even Law and execution of right to all the Subjects rich and poore without having respect to any person c. And if any of them doe or come against any point of the great Charter or other Statutes or the Lawes of the Land by the Statute of 15 E. 3 c. 3. he shall answer to the Parliament as well at the Kings suite as at the suite of the party Seeing then they are as well the Kingdomes Councellours Officers Iudges as the Kings and accountable responsible for their misdemeanours in their places as well to the Parliament and Kingdom as to the King great reason is there that the Parliament Kingdome especially when they see just cause should have a voice in their elections as well as the King The rather because when our Kings have been negligent in punishing evill Councellours Officers Iudges our Parliaments out of their care of the publike good have in most Kings reignes both justly questioned arraigned displaced and sometimes adjudged to death the Kings greatest Counsellours Officers and Iudges for their misdemeanours witnesse the displacing and banishing of William Longcham Bishop of Ely Lord Chauncellour chiefe Iustice and Regent of the Realme in Richard the 1. his Reigne Of Sir Thomas Wayland chiefe Iustice of the Common pleas attainted of Felony and banished for bribery by the Parliament 18 Ed. 1. the severall banishments of Piers Gaveston and the ● Spensers the Kings greatest favourites Officers Counsellors for seducing miscounselling King Edward the second oppressing the Subjects and wasting the Kings revenues the removall and condemnation of Sir William Thorpe Chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench for Bribery 25. E. 3. The fining and displacing of Michael de 〈◊〉 Pole Lord Chauncellour Alexander Nevell and divers other great Officers and Privie Counsellours with the condemning executing and banishing of Tresilian 〈◊〉 and other Judges in 10 11 Rich 2. by Parliament for ill Councell and giving their opinions at Nottingham against Law Of Empson Dudley and that grand Cardinall Wolsey Lord Chancellour and the Kings chiefest Favourite and Counsellour in Henry the eight his Reigne Of the Duke of Sommerset Lord Protector and his Brother Lord Admirall for supposed Treasons in Edward the 6 th his Reigne Of Sir Francis Bacon Lord Keeper and Cranfield Lord Treasurer in King Iames his latter dayes with infinite other presidents of former and latter ages and one more remarkable then all the rest In the Yeare 1371. the 45. of King Edward the third his Reigne and somewhat before the Prelates and Clergy-men had ingrossed most of the Temporall Offices into their hands Simon Langham Arch-bishop of Canterbury being Lord Chancellour of England Iohn Bishop of Bath Lord Treasurer William Wickam Archdeacon of Lincolne Keeper of the Privie Seale David Wolley Master of the Rolles Iohn Troy Treasurer of Ireland Robert Caldwell Clerke of the Kings Houshold William Bugbrig generall Receiver of the Dutchy of Lancaster William Ashby Chancellour of the Exchequer Iohn Newneham and William de Mulso Chamberlaines of the Exchequer and keepers of the Kings Treasury and Iewels Iohn Roxceby Clerke and Comptroller of the Kings works and Buildings Roger Barnburgh and 7 Priests more Clerkes of the Kings Chancery Richard Chesterfield the Kings under-Treasurer Thomas Brantingham Treasurer of Guives Merke and Calis All these Clergie-men who abounded with pluralities of rich Spirituall Livings though they Monopolized all these temporall Offices in the Parliament of 45 Edward the 3d. by a Petition and complaint of the Lords were displaced at once from these Offices no wayes suitable with their functions and Lay-men substituted in their places And a like president I find about 3 Hen. 3d. where the Clergy Lord Chancellour Treasurer with other Officers were removed upon a Petition against them and their Offices committed to Temporall-men whom they better beseemed If then the Parliament in all Ages hath thus displaced and Censured the greatest Councellours State-Officers Iudges for their misdemeanours ill Counsell insufficiency and unfitnesse for these places contrary to that twice condemned false opinion of the over-awed Iudges at Nottingham in 11 R 2. That the Lords and Commons might not without the Kings will impeach the Kings Officers and Iustices upon their Offences in Parliament and he that did contrary was to be punished as a Traitour and that upon this very ground that they are the Kingdoms Counsellours Officers and Iustices as well as the Kings and so responsible to the Parliament and Kingdome for their faults I see no cause why they may not by like reason and authority nominate and place better Officers Counsellours Iudges in their steeds or recommend such to the King when and where they see just cause Eightly Iohn Bodin a grand Polititian truely determines and proves at large That it is not the right of election of great Officers which declareth the right of Soveraignty because this oft is and may be in the Subjects but the Princes approbation and confirmation of them when they are chosen without which they have no power at all It can then be no usurpation at all in the Parliament upon the Kings Prerogative to nominate or elect his Councellours great Officers and Iudges or recommend meet persons to him which is all they require so long as they leave him a Power to approve and ratifie them by Writs or speciall Patents in case he cannot justly except against them Of which power they never attempted to divest his Majesty though he be no absolute but only a politick King as Fortescue demonstrates Ninthly It hath beene and yet is usuall in most Forraigne Kingdomes for the Senate and people to elect their publike Offi●ers and Magistrates without any diminution to their Kings Prerogative In the Roman State the people and Senate not only constantly elected their Kings and Emperours but all their other grand publike Officers and Magistrates as Consuls Tribunes Dictators Senators Decemviri and the like
that in every Parliament at the third day of the same Parliament the King shall take to his hands the Offices of all the Ministers aforesaid and so shall they abide 4 or 5 dayes except the Offices of Iustices of the one place and the other Iustices assigned Barons of the Exchequer so alwayes that they and all other Ministers be put to answer to every complaint And if default be ●ound in any of the said Ministers by complaint or other manner and of that be attainted in the Parliament he shall be punished by judgement of his Peeres out of his Office and other convenient set in his place And upon the same our said Soveraigne Lord the King shall doe to be pronounced to make execution without delay according to the Iudgement of the said Peeres in the Parliament Loe here an expresse Act of Parliament ordained and established by King Edward the third by assent of the Prelates Earles Barons and other great men and of all the Commonalty of the Realm which this King did give and grant for him and his heires firmely to be kept and holden for ever that all great Officers Barons Iudges and Iustices of the Kingdome and chiefe attendants about the King and Prince should not onely take the fore-mentioned Oath but be elected alwayes by the accord of the great Men and good Councell neare and about the King out of Parliament and by the Peeres in Parliament and the King bound to make execution according to their Iudgement This Law as I conceive was never legally repealed by Parliament but onely by this Kings Proclamation by the ill advice and forced consents of some few Lords and Councellours about him upon pretence that he never freely assented to it but by dissimulation onely to obtaine his owne ends that Parliament which else would have miscarried and broken up in discontent had not this Law beene granted in manner aforesaid Which consideration makes me confident that the Parliament being so eager to obtaine this Law would never so soone yeeld wholly to repeale it and so for ought I know it stands yet in force to justifie the present Parliaments claime in this particular In 2 E. 3. c. 8. 14 E. 3. c. 5. 18 E. 3. Stat. 3. 20 E. 3. c. 1 2 3. divers notable Oathes are prescribed to Iudges Iustices and other Officers and that they shall not delay nor forbeare to doe right for the Kings great or little Seale or any letters from him or any other but goe forth to doe the Law notwithstanding them In the Yeare 1375. the 50 of Edward the 3d. his raigne a Parliament commonly called the good Parliament by our Historians being assembled the King required a Subsidie by reason of his warres to which the Commons answered that they could no longer beare such charges considering the manifold most grievous burdens they had from time to time borne before and that they knew full well that the King was rich enough to defend him and his Land if his Land and the Treasure were well guided and governed but it had beene long evill ruled by evill Officers so that the Land could not be plenteous neither with Merchandize chaffer nor riches By reason whereof and of their importunate charges the Commonalty was generally impoverished Moreover the Commons complained upon divers Officers that were the causers of this mis-order whereof the Lord Latimer then Lord Chamberlaine was principall and Dame Alice Piers the Kings Concubine who would usually in most impudent manner come in person into all Courts of Iustice and sitting by the Iudges and Doctors perswade or disswade them to judge against the Law for her owne advantage on that side for which she was engaged to the great scandall and dishonour of the King both in his owne and other Realmes and Sir Richard Scurry Knight by whose Councells and sinister meanes the King was mis-guided and the government of the Land disordered Wherefore they prayed by the mouth of their Speaker Sir Piers de la Mare that the said persons with others might be removed from the King and others to be set in authority about his person as should serve for his honour and for the weale of his Realme Which request of the Commons by meanes of the Noble Prince Edward was accepted so that the said persons with the Duke of Lancaster and others were removed from the King and other Lords by advise of the said Prince and other wise Lords of the Realme PER PARLIAMENTVM PRAEDICTVM writes Walsingham were put in their places such as the Prince and Peers thought fittest Moreover in this Parliament at the Petition of the Commons it was ordained That certaine Bishops Earles and other Lords should from thence forth govern both the King and Kingdom the King being then in his dotage unable to governe himself or the Kingdome because the king was growne old and wanted such Governours This passage is thus expressed in the Parliament Roll of 50. E. 3. numb 10. Also the Commons considering the mischiefes of the Land shewed to the King and Lords of the Parliament that it shall be for the honour of the King and profit of all the Realme which is now grieved in divers manners by many adversities as well by the wars of France Spaine Ireland Guyon and Bretaigne and else-where as likewise by the Officers who have been accustomed to be about the King who are not sufficient at all without other assistance for so great a government wherefore they pray that the Councell of our Lord the King be inforced or made up of the Lords of the Land Prelates and others to the number of 10. or 12. which the King shall please to remaine continually with the King in such manner that no great businesse shall passe or be there decreed without all their assents and advice and that other lesser businesses shall be ordered by the assent of 6 or 4. of them at least according as the case shall require so that at least 6. or 4. of such Counsellours shall be continually resident to councell the King And our Lord the King consid●ring the said request to be honourable and very profitable to him and to all his Realme hath thereto assented provided alwayes that the Chancellour Treasurer or Keeper of the Privy seale and all other Officers of the King may execute and dispatch the businesses belonging to their Offices without the presence of the said Councellours the which the King hath assigned c. But this Ordinance lasted scarce three moneths for after the Commons had granted a Subsidy of foure pence the pole of all above foureteene yeares old except Beggars Prince Edward dying and the Parliament determining these removed ill-officers got into the Court and their offices againe and by the instance and power of Alice Piers the Speaker De la Mare was adjudged to perpetuall prison in Nottingham Castle an Act without example in former times and which did no good in this where he remained prisoner
upon demand he raiseth a great Army and takes his Castle On this the King upon better consideration did againe promise and affirme That by advise of his great Councell all that was amisse should be rectified and amended And at the day and place appointed he holds a great conference with the Lords But the evill Counsellers he followed suffered him not to make good his promise For when divers there present greatly in the Kings favour with sundry Preachers and Fryers whom the King was wont to reverence and hearken to Humbly beseeched and earnestly exhorted the King to make peace with his Barons and Nobles and to embrace them with due affection being his naturall Subjects whom without any judgement by their Peeres he had banished destroying their Manours Woods Parkes Ponds and being led and seduced by evill Counsels lesse regarded his faithfull Subjects whose native blood would not permit them to bow downe than Forainers and which is worse called them Traytors by whom he ought to settle the peace order the Counsels and dispose the affaires of his kingdome The Bishop of Winchester offended it seemes at Peeres takes the word out of the Kings mouth and answers That there are not Peeres in England as in the Realme of France and that therefore the King of England by such Iusticiars as himselfe pleaseth to ordaine may banish any offenders out of the Realme and by judiciall processe condemne them Which insolent speech the English Bishops relished so harshly that they presently with one voyce threatned to accurse and excommunicate by name the Kings principall wicked Counsellers of whom Winchester being the foreman appealed whereupon they accursed and I would our Bishops would doe so now if the God-dam-me Cavaliers accurse not themselves sufficiently all such as alienated the heart of the King from his Subjects and all others that perturbed the peace of the Realme and so the hoped Accomodation vanished into greater discontents Hereupon the Earle Marshall and other Lords with their Forces fell pell mell upon the Kings Army slew divers of his Forrainers and in conclusion drew him to such straits that enforced him to be capable of better advise Then Edmund Arch-Bishop of Canterbury elect with other suffragan Bishops bewailing the estate of the kingdome presented themselves before the King at Westminster telling him as his loyall liegeman and O that some Bishop or faithfull person if there be any such about his Majesty would now deale thus clearely with him touching his evill Counsellors That the Counsell of Peter Bishop of Winchester and his complices which now he had and used was not sound nor safe but evill and dangerous to himselfe and his Realme First for that they hated and despised the English calling them Traytors turning the Kings heart from the love of the people and the hearts of the people from him as in the Earle Marshall whom being one of the worthiest men of the Land by sowing false tales they drave into discontentment Secondly that by the Counsell of the said Peter his Father King Iohn first lost the hearts of his people then Normandy then other lands and finally wasted all his treasure and almost England also and never after had quiet Thirdly that if the Subjects had now beene handled according to Justice and law not by their ungodly Counsels these present troubles had not hapned but the Kings lands had remained undestroyed his treasure unexhausted Fourthly that the Kings Councell is not the Councell of peace but of perturbation because they that cannot raise themselves by peace must raise themselves by the troubles dis-inherison of others Fifthly that they had the Treasure Castles Wardships and strength of the kingdome in their hands which they insolently abused to the great hazard of the whole estate for that they made no conscience of an Oath Law Justice or the Churches censures Therefore we O King speake of these things faithfully unto you in the presence of God and man and doe counsell beseech and admonish you to remove such a Councell from about you and as it is the usage in other Realmes governe yours by the faithfull and sworne children thereof To which the King in briefe answered That he could not suddainely put off his Councell and therefore prayed a short respite Nothing had hitherto preserved the King more Than that he could without griefe forgoe any favorites if he were nearely pressed the contrary quality whereof hath beene the cause of finall desolation to so many Princes For though choyce of Counsellers be for the most part free yet by common intendment they should be good or how ever they are or are not it is madnesse to hazard a Crowne or lose the love of a whole Nation rather than to relinquish or diminish a particular dependance for which the publique must not be hazarded nor subverted The King therefore in this point not infortunate commands Bishop Peter from his Court to keepe residence at his Cure without once medling in State affaires removes all his evill Counsellors deprives them of their Offices and puts good men in their places and commands all Poictovians and Foraine Forces to depart the Realme receives all his Nobles unto favour restoring them to their lost Offices Lands Castles admits them into his Court and Councell puts all his ill Counsellours and Delinquent Officers to their legall trials and fines And for Peter Rivales his Treasurer he was so incensed against him for his ill Counsell that he sware he would plucke out his eyes were it not for reverence of his holy Orders And at his Arraignment at Westminster the King sitting in person with his Justices upon the Bench and shooting Rivales through with an angry eye spake thus to him O thou Traytor by thy wicked advise I was drawne to set my Seale to those Treacherous Letters for the destruction of the Earle Marshall the contents whereof were to me unknowne and by thine and such like Counsell I banished my naturall Subjects and turned their mindes and hearts from me By thy bad counsell and thy complices I was moved to make warre upon them to my irreparable losse and the dishonour of my Realme in which enterprise I wasted my Treasure and lost many worthy persons together with much of my Royall respect Therefore I exact of thee an accompt and thou shalt be carryed to the Tower of London to deliberate till I am satisfied And thus were these civill warres and differences reconciled ill Counsellors removed enormities reformed Delinquents punished not without reducing store of coyne to the King and peace established in the kingdome Which History I have more largely recited because most of its passages are Parallel to the Kings and his evill Counsellors present proceedings on the one hand and to the Parliaments in some sort on the other hand in the premises and I doubt not but they will prove parallels in the conclusion to the terrour and just punishment of all ill counsellors Cavalieres and Delinquents the
to his estate All these things concluded they ELECTED his son Edward King in the great hall at Westminster with the UNIVERSALL CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE THERE PRESENT and the Archb. of Canterbury thereupon makes there a Sermon on this Text Vox populi vox Dei exhorting the people to invoke the king of kings for him they had then chosen It was further ordered and agreed that during the Parliament time a solemne Message should be sent to the King to Kenelworth Castle where he was kept prisoner to declare unto him not only the determination of the three estates concerning HIS DEPOSING FROM THE KINGDOME but also to resigne unto him IN THE NAME OF THE WHOLE REALME all their homage that before time they had done him and to doe this message there was certaine select persons chosen by the Parliament namely the Bishops of Winchester Hereford and Lincoln two Earles two Abbots foure Barons two Iustices three knights for every County and for London the Cinqueports and other Cities and Burroughes a certaine chosen number with the Speaker of the Parliament whose name was Sir William Tr●ssell who comming into the Kings presence told him That the Common-weale had received so irr● concileable dislikes of his government the particulars whereof had been opened in the Assembly at London that it was resolved never to indure him as King any longer That notwithstanding those dislikes had not extended themselves so farre as for his sake to exclude his issue but that with universall applause and joy THE COMMON-WEALE HAD IN PARLIAMENT ELECTED HIS ELDEST SONNE THE LORD EDWARD FOR KING That it would be a very acceptable thing to God willingly to give over an earthly kingdome for the common good and quiet of his Country which they said could not otherwise be secured That yet his honour should be no lesse after his resignation then before it was onely him the Commonweale would never suffer toraigne any longer They finally told him That unlesse he did of himselfe renounce his Crowne and Scepter the people would neither endure him nor any of his children as their Soveraigne but disclaiming all homage and fealty would elect some other for king who should not be of the blood This message strucke such a chilnesse into the King that he fell groveling to the earth in a swoun which the Earle of Leicester and Bishop of Winchester beholding run unto him and with much labour recovered the halfe dead King setting him on his feet who being come to himselfe the Bishop of Hereford running over the former points concludes saying as in the person of the Commonwealth That the king must resigne his Diadem to his eldest sonne or after the refusall suffer THEM TO ELECT SUCH A PERSON AS THEMSELVES SHOULD JUDGE TO BE MOST FIT AND ABLE TO DEFEND THE KINGDOME The dolorous King having heard this speech brake forth into sighes and teares made at the last this answer to this effect That he knew that for his many sinnes he was fallen into this calamity and therefore had the lesse cause to take it grievously That he much sorrowed for this that the people of the kingdome were so exasperated against him as that they should utterly abhor his any longer rule and soveraignty and therefore he besought all that were there present to forgive and spare him being so afflicted That neverthelesse it was greatly to his good pleasure and liking seeing it could none other be in his behal●e that his eldest sonne was so gracious in their sight and therefore he gave them thanks for chusing him their King This being said then was a proceeding to the short Ceremonies of his resignation which principally con●isted in the surrender of his Diadem and Ensignes of Majesty to the use of his Sonne the new King Thereupon Sir William Trussell the Speaker ON THE BEHALFE OF THE WHOLE REALM renounced all homage and allegiance to the said Edward of Carnarvan late King in these words following I William Trussell IN THE NAME OF ALL MEN OF THIS LAND OF ENGLAND AND OF ALL THE PARLIAMENT PROCURATOR resigne to thee Edward the homage that was sometimes made unto thee and from this time now forward I defie thee AND DEPRIUE THEE OF ALL ROYALL POWER I shall never be attendant to thee as King after this time After which King Edward the third being solemnly crowned proclaimed his peace to all his people in these words Edward by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aqui●ane to N. N. our Sheriffe of S. greeting Because the Lord Edward our Father late King of England by THE COMMON COUNSELL AND ASSENT OF THE PRELATES EARLS BARONS AND OTHER THE CHIEFE MEN AND WHOLE COMMONALTIE OF THE KINGDOM did voluntarily remove himselfe from the government thereof willing and granting that We as his eldest Sonne and Heire should take upon us the rule and regiment of the same and we with the counsell of the Prelates Earls and Barons aforesaid yeelding therein to our Fathers good pleasure and will have taken upon Vs the Governanse of the said Kingdome and as the manner is have received the Fealties and Homages of the said Prelates and Peeres We therefore desirous that Our peace for the quiet and calme of Our people should be inviolably observed do will and command you that presently upon sight of these presents you cause Our Peace to be proclaimed throughout your Bayli-wick forbidding all and every one on Our behalfe under paine and perill of disinheritance and losse of life and limbs not to presume to violate or infringe Our said Peace but that every one pursue or follow his Actions and Complaints without any manner of outrage according to the Laws and Customs of Our Kingdome for We are ready and alwayes will be to administer full right to all and singular complaints as well of poore as rich in Our Courts of Iustice. The second President is that of King Richard the second who being taken prisoner by Henry Duke of Lancaster An. 1399. the Duke soone after on the thirteenth of September called a Parliament in the Kings Name wherein was declared how unprofitable King Richard had been to the Realme during his reigne how he subverted the Lawes p●lled the people ministred Iustice to no man but to such as pleased him And to the intent the Commons might be perswaded that he was an unjust and unprofitable Prince and a Tyrant over his Subjects and THEREFORE WORTHY TO BE DEPOSED there were set forth certaine Articles to the number of 32. or 38. as some record very hainous to the eares of many some whereof I have formerly recited and the residue you may read in Hall Grafton Haywood Trussell and others After which Richard was charged with the foresaid Articles there was an instrument made declaring his Answers and how he consented willingly to be deposed the Tenor of which instrument was as followeth This present Instrument made the Munday the 29. day of September and feast
concurring with it Iosh. 22. 11 12 c. Iudg. 20. 1. to 48. compared with Prov. 20. 18. c. 24. 6. and Iudg. 11. Secondly All preparations belonging to warre by Land or Sea have in the grosse and generall beene usually ordered limited and setled by the Parliaments as namely First What proportions and summes of money should be raised for the managing of the warre in what manner and time it should be levyed to what hands it should be paid and how disbursed which appeares by all the Bills of Subsidies Tenths Taxes Tonnage and Poundage in the Reignes of all our Kings Secondly How every man should be Mustered Arrayed Armed According to his estate as is cleare by all our Statutes of Armour Musters Captaines Ships Horses Warres reduced under heads by Rastall where you may peruse them by Justice Crookes and Huttons Arguments against Ship-money Sir Edward Cookes Institutes on Magna Charta f. 528 529. the Parliaments two late Declarations against the Commission of Array and the Statute of Winchester 13. E. 1. c. 6. Thirdly How farre every man shall March when he is Arrayed when he shall goe out of his owne County with his Armes when not who shall serve by Sea who by Land how long they shall continue in the Warres when they shall be at their owne when at the Kingdomes when at the Kings costs or wages and for how long time as the Marginall Statutes and next forecited Law Authorities manifest Fourthly When where and by whom Liveries Hats Coates shall be given in Warres when not and what Protections or Priviledges those who goe to Warres or continue in them shall have allowed them Fifthly What shares or proportions of Prisoners Prises Booties Captaines and Souldiers should be allowed in the Warres And at what Ports and rates they should be Shipped over Sea Sixthly How and by whom the Sea shall be guarded and what Jurisdiction Authority and share of Prises the Admirals of England shall have When the Sea shall be open when shut to enemies and strangers What punishments inflicted for Mariners abuses on the Sea And what redresse for the Subjects there robbed by enemies or others Seventhly What Castles Forts Bulwarkes shall be built or repaired for defence of the Realme in what places and by whose charges Eightly What punishment shall be inflicted upon Captaines who abuse their trust detaine the Souldiers wages and on Souldiers who sell their Armes or desert their colours without speciall License Ninthly What provision there shall be made for and maintenance allowed to Souldiers hurt or maimed in the Warres by Land and for Mariners by Sea Tenthly That no ayde Armour Horses Victuals shall be conveyed to the enemies by way of Merchandise or otherwise during the Warres that all Scots and other enemies should be banished the Kingdome and their goods seised whiles the warres continued betweene England and them Eleventhly How Frontier Castles and Townes toward Wa●es and other places of hostility should be well manned and guarded and no Welchmen Irish Scots or alien Enemies should be permitted to stay in England to give intelligence or suffered to dwell or purchase Houses or Lands within those Townes and that they shall all be disarmed Twelfthly After what manner Purveyances shall be made by the Captaines of Castles and how they shall take up victuall In one word Warres have beene ended Leagues Truces made confirmed and punishments for breach of them provisions for preservation of them enacted by the Parliament as infinite Precedents in the Parliament Rols and Printed Acts demonstrate So that our Parliaments in all former ages even in the Reignes of our most Martiall Kings have had the Soveraigne power of ordering setling determining both the beginning progresse and conclusion of our Warres and the chiefe ordering of * all things which concerned the managing of them by Sea and Land being indeed the great Counsell of Warre elected by the Kingdome to direct our Kings who were and are in truth but the kingdomes chiefe Lord Generalls as the Roman Emperours and all Kings of old were their Senates States and Peoples Generals to manage their Warres and fight their battailes the Soveraigne power of making and directing Warre or Peace being not in the Emperours or Kings themselves but in their Senates States and Parliaments as Bodin proves at large And being but the Kingdomes Generals who must support and maintaine the Warres there is as great reason that they should direct and over-rule Kings in the Ordering of their Warres and Militia when they see cause as that they should direct and rule their Lord Generall now or the King his Generals in both his Armies During the minorities of King Henry the sixth and Edward the sixth the Parliament made the Duke of Bedford Regent of France and the Dukes of Glocester and Sommerset Lord Protectors of England committing the trust of the Militia and Warres to them And i 39. H. 6. the Parliament made Richard Duke of Yorke Lord Protector of the Realme and gave him like power when the King was of full age And in our present times The King himselfe this very Parliament voluntar●ly committed the whole care and managing of the Warres in Ireland and the Militia there to this present Parliament who appointed both the Commanders and al other Officers of the Forces sent hence into Ireland and that without any injury or eclipse to his Majesties Royall Prerogative If then the Subjects and Parliament in ancient times have had the election of their Generals Captaines Commanders Sheriffes Mayors and other Officers having the chiefe ordering of the Militia under the King if they have constantly Ordered all parts and matters concerning the Warres in all former Kings Reignes appointed Regents and Protectors committing to them the Kings owne Royall power over the Militia during their Minorities and his Majesty himselfe hath permitted this Parliament to Order the Militia of Ireland to which they have no such right or Titleash to that of England without any prejudice to his Prerogative I can see no just exception why his Majesty should at first or now deny the Parliament such a power over the Militia as they desired for a time or why in point of Honour or Justice their Bill for setling the Militia in safe under hands in such persons as both sides may well confide in should now be rejected being for the Kings Kingdomes and Parliaments peace and security much lesse why a bloody intestine Warre should be raised or continued upon such an unconsiderable point on his Majesties part who seeing he cannot manage the Militia in proper person in all Counties but onely by Substitutes hath farre more cause to accept of such persons of Honour and quality as his Parliament shall nominate in whom himselfe and his whole Kingdome in these times of Warre and danger may repose confidence to execute this trust then any whom his owne judgement alone or
to recede from his Oath whereupon they reseised these Castles for their safety About Midsommer the Barons drawing neare to London sent a Letter to the Mayor and Aldermen requiring to know of them Whether they would observe and maintaine the Statutes made at Oxford or not or aide and assist su●h persons as intended the breach of the same and sent unto them a Copy of the said Acts with a proviso that if there were any of them that should seeme to be hurtfull to the Realme or Commonweale of the same that they then by discreet persons of the land should be altered and amended Which Copy the Mayor bare unto the King then at the Tower of London with the Queene and other great persons Then the King intending to know the minde of the City asked the Mayor What he thought of those Acts who abashed with that question besought the King That he might commune with his Brethr●n the Aldermen and then he w●uld declare unto him both his and their opinions But the King said He would heare his advice without more Counsell Then the Mayor boldly said That before times he with his Brethren and commonalty of the City by his commandement were sworne to maintaine all Acts made to the honour of God to the faith of the King and profit of the Realme which Oath by his license and most gracious favour they intended to observe and keepe And moreover to avoid all occasions that might grow of grudge and variance betweene his Grace and the Barons in the City they would avoyd all aliens and strangers out of it as they soone after did if his Grace were so contented With which Answer the King seemed to bee pleased so that the Mayor with his favour departed and he and the Citizens sent answer to the Barons that they condescended to those acts binding themselves thereunto under the publike Seale of London their Liberties alwayes upholded and saved Then the Barons entred the City and shortly after the King with his Queene and other of his Counsaile returned to Westminster Anno 1264. the 48. of Henry the third the King made his peace with the Barons then in Armes upon these termes That ALL THE CASTLES OF THE KING throughout England should be delivered TO THE KEEPING OF THE BARONS the Provisions of Oxford be inviolably observed and all Strangers by ● certaine time avoyded the kingdome except such as by a generall consent should be held faithfull and profitable for the same Whereupon the Barons tooke possession of most of the Castles by agreement or violence where they found resistance as they did in many places And by the CONSENT of THE KING and BARONS Sir Hugh le Spenser was made Chiefe Justice and keeper of the Tower This done at London the Barons departed to Windsor to see the guiding of that Castle where they put out those aliens whom Sir Edward the Kings Sonne had before put in and put other Officers in their places spoyling them of such goods as they had Who complaining thereof to the King he put them off for that season After which they re-seised Dover Castle and made Richard de Gray a valiant and faithfull man Constable of it who searching all passengers that came thither very strictly found great store of Treasure which was to be secretly conveyed to the Poictovines which he seised and it was imployed by the Barons appointment upon the profitable uses of the Realme The yeare following the Commons of London chose Thomas Fitz-Thomas for their Mayor and without consent of the Aldermen sware him at the Guild-hall without presenting him the next day to the King or Barons of the Exchequer For which the King was grievously discontented and being advertised that the Citizens tooke part with the Barons caused his Sonne Edward to take the Castle of Winsor by a traine to which the King and Lords of his party repaired And the other Lords and Knights with great Forces drew towards London but by mediation of friends there was a peace concluded and the differences were referred to the French King and his PARLIAMENT as Andrew Favine records out of Rishanger to end Who giving expresse sentence that all the Acts of Oxenford should from thenceforth be utterly forborne and annulled The Barons discontented with this partiall sentence departed into the Marches of Wales where raising Forces they seised on many Townes and Castles of the Kings and Prince Edward going against them was sore distressed and almost taken Hereupon to end these differences a new Parliament was appointed at Oxford which tooke no effect Because when the King had yeelded the Statutes of Oxford should stand the Queene was as utterly against it whose opposition in this point being knowne to the Londoners the baser sort of people were so enraged that she being to shoot the Bridge from the Tower towards Winsor they with darts stones and villanous words forced her to returne After which the Lords sending a Letter to the King to beseech him not to beleeve the ill reports of some evill Counsellors about him touching their loyalty and honest intentions were answered with two Letters of defiance Upon which ensued the bloody battle of Lewis in Sussex in which the King and his Sonne with 25. Barons and Baronets were taken prisoners twenty thousand of the Commons slaine Richard King of Romans the Kings Brother was likewise taken prisoner in this Battle who a little before comming over into England with some Forces to ayde his Brother the Barons hearing thereof caused all the Ships and Gallies of the Cinqueports and other places to meet together armed to resist him by Sea and sent horse and foot to withstand him by Land if he arrived Which Richard having intelligence of disbanded his Forces and sent word to the Barons that he would take an Oath to observe the Articles and Statutes made at Oxenford whereupon he was permitted to land at Dover with a small Traine whither King Henry went to mee● him But the Barons would not suffer this King nor any of his Traine to enter into Dover Castle because he had not taken his Oath to observe the foresaid Statutes nor yet the King of England to goe into it for feare of surprisall because it was the principall Bulwarke of England the Barons then having both it and all the Cinqueports in their Custody to secure the kingdome from danger Neither would they permit King Richard to goe on towards London till he had taken the Oath forementioned After this battle all the prisoners were sent to severall prisons except the two Kings and Prince Edward whom the Barons brought with them to London where a new Grant was made by the King that the said Statutes sho●ld stand in strength and if any were thought unreasonable they to be amended by foure Noblemen of the Realme and if they could not agree then the Earle of Angiou and Duke of Burgoin to be Iudges of the matter And this to be firmely holden
they were exceedingly moved with indignation Yet no man durst speake openly of the matter by reason of the malice of those about the king and the irrationall youth of the king himselfe and so the benefits of the king and kingdome were trodden under foote by the countenance of the kings indiscretion and the malice of those inhabiting with him In the ninth yeare of king Rich●rd the second Michael d● la P●le Earle of Suffolke for grosse abuses bribery and Treason was put from his Chauncellourship fined 20000. markes to the king and condemned to dye Haec autem omn●a quanquam summe regi placuisse d●buerant maximè displicebant adeò fideb●t infideli adeo coiuit nebulonem Insomuch that the King and his familiars plotted to murther the Knights of the Parliament who most opposed the subsidie he demaunded and the said Michael together with the Duke of Glocester at a supper in London to which they should be invited thinking by this meanes to obtaine their wills But the Duke and they having timely notice thereof and Richard Exton then Major of Londo● freely telling the king when he was called to assent to this villany that he would never give his consent to the death of such innocents though Sir Nicholas Bramber Major th● yeare before had thereto assented this wickednesse was p●ev●nted and being made publicke to all the inhabitants in the City and parts adjoyning from thenceforth the hatred of such counsellors and love of the Duke and fores●yd knights encreased among all men And the Duke and Knights with greater constancie and courage opposed De la Pole and after many delayes the king full ●ore against his will WAS COMPELLED to give a commission of Oye● terminer to the Duke of Glocest●r and ●i●hard Earle of Arundell to heare and determine the businesses and complaints against De la Pole and all others which the Knights of the Parliament had accused who gave judgement of death against them and Thomas Arundell Bishop of Ely was m●de Chauncellour by the Parliament in De la Poles place and the Bishop of Durham removed from his Lord Treasurership with which he was much enamoted taking much p●ines and being at great cost to procure it and 〈◊〉 Gilbert Bishop of Herefo●d qui plus li● gua quam fide vigebat was su●roga●ed in 〈…〉 But this Parliament ending the king immediately received De la Pole whom Walsingham stiles P●rfidiae promptuarium senti●a avaritiae aur●ga proditionis archa malitiae odii seminator mendacii fabric tor susurro nequiss●mus dolo p●aestantiss mus artificiosus detractor pat●iae del●to● consiliarius nequam meritò perfi us euomens spiritum in terra p●regrina together with the Duke of Ireland and Alexander N●vell Archbishop of Yorke into his Court and favour who laboured night and day to incense the King against the Lords and to annull the Acts of this Parliament by which meanes the Kings hatred towards his Nobles and naturall faithfull people increased every day more and more these ill Councellors whispering unto him that he should not be a king in effect but on●ly in sh●dow and that he should enjoy nothing of his owne if the Lords shou●d keepe t●eir received power The King therefore beleeving them from thenceforth suspected all the Nobles and suffered these ill Councellors and their confederates to w●st his revenues and oppress● his people Whereupon the next yeare following a Parliament being summoned the Lords and Commons by reason of great and horrible mischeifes and perils which had hapned to the King and the Realme aforetime by reason of evill Councellors and governance about the Kings person by the foresaid Archbishop of Yorke Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland De la Pole Robert Trisil●an Lord Chiefe Iustice of England Sir Nicholas Brambre and other their adherents who wasted demished and destroyed the goods treasure and substance of the Crowne oppres●sed the people dayly with importable charges neglecting the execution of the good Lawes and Customes of the Realme so that no full right nor justice was done c. whereby the king and all his Realme were very nigh to have beene wholy undone and destroyed for these causes and the eschewing of such like perills and mischeiefes to the King and Realme for time to come displaced and removed these ill Councellors and at their request a new Chauncellor Treasurer and Privie seale were ordained in Parliament even such as were held good sufficient and lawfull to the honour and profit of the King and his Rea●me And by advise and assent o● the Lords and Commons in Parliament in ayde of good governance of the Realme for the due executi us of good Lawes and the reliefe of the Kings and his peoples ●tates in time to come a speciall C●mmission under the great Seale of England confirm●d by the Statute of 10. R. 2. c. 1. was granted to both Archbishops the Dukes of Yorke and Glocester the Kings Vncl●s th● Bishops of Worcester and Exetor the Abbot of Waltham the Earle of Arundle the Lord Cobham and others to be of the Kings GREAT CONTINVALL COVNSELL for one yeare then next following to survey and examine with his sayd Chauncellor Treasur●r and Keeper ●f the Privie ●●ale as well the estate and government of his house as of all his Courts and places as of all his Realme and of all his Officers and Ministers of whatsoever estate as well within the house as without to inquire and take information of all rents revenues profits due to him in any man●er within the Realme or without and of all manner of gifts gran●s aliena●ions or confirmations made by him of any Land Tenements Rents Anuities Profi●s Revenues Wards Marriages and infinite other particulars specified in the Act and of all kinde of oppressions offenses and dammages whatsoev●r don● to t●e King or his people and them finally to heare and determine And that no man should councell the king to repeale this Commission though it tooke no effect under paine of forfaiting all his goods and imprisonment during the kings pleasure No sooner was this Parliament dissolved but this unhappie seduced King by the instigation and advise of his former ill Councellors endeavours to nullifie this Commission as derogatory to his royall power and sending for his Iudges and Councell at Law to Not●ingham Castle caused them to sub●cribe to sundry Articles tending to the Totall subversion of Parliaments causing the Duke of Gloc●ster and other Lords who procured this Commission to be indighted of high Treason to which Inditements the Iudges being over-awed with feare set their hands and seales for which illegall proceedings destructive to Parliaments by 11. R. 2. c. 1 to 7. these ill pernicious Councellours and Iudges were attainted and condemned of High Treason put from their Offices their Lands confiscated many of them executed the residue banished and above 20. other Knights Gentlemen and Clergie men who mis-councelled the King imprisoned condemned and banished the Court as
the very Law of Nature and fundamentall institution of Parliaments now justly take up Defensive armes to preserve their Liberties Lawes Lives Estates Religion from vassallage and ruine Thirdly Our owne Parliaments Prelates Nobles and Commons in all ages especially in times of Popery as well in Parliament as out have by open force of armes resisted suppressed the oppressions rapines vnjust violence and armies of their Princes raised against them Yea incountred their Kings in open Battells taken their persons Prisoners and sometimes expelled nay deposed them their Royall authority when they became incorrigible open professed enemies to their kingdomes their Subjects seeking the ruine slavery and desolation of those whom by Office Duty Oath and common Iustice they were bound inviolably to protect in Liberty and peace as the premised Histories of Achigallo Emerian Vortigern Segebert Osred Ethelr●d Bernard Edwin Ceolwulfe King Iohn Henry the 3d. Edward 1. and 2. Richard the 2 Henry the 6 th our British Saxon English Kings and other examples common in our owne Annalls plentifully manifest Neither are their examples singular but all Kingdomes generally throughout the world in all ages have done the like when their Kings degenerated into Tyrants of which there are infinite precedens in History which actions all ages all Kingdomes have alwaies reputed lawfull both in point of Policy Law Religion as warranted by the very Lawes of Nature Reason State Nations God which instruct not onely particular persons but whole Cities and Kingdomes for their owne necessary defence preservation the supportation of humane Societie and Libertie to protect themselves against all unlawfull violence and Tyranny even of their Kings themselves or their Ministers to whom neither the Lawes of God Nature Man nor any civill Nation ever yet gave the least authority to Murther Spoile Oppresse enslave their Subjects or deprive them of their lawfull Liberties or Estates which resistance were it unlawfull or unjust as many ignorant Royallists and Parasites now ●each some few oppressing tyrannizing wilfull Princes might without the least resistance ruine murther enslave the whole world of men overthrow all setled formes of civill government extirpate Christian Religion and destroy all humane Society at their pleasures all which had beene effected yea all States and Kingdomes totally subverted long agoe by ambitious Tyrannizing lawlesse Princes had not this Lawfull Naturall Hereditary power of resisting and opposing their illegall violence inherent in their Parliaments States Kingdomes restrained and suppressed their exorbitances of this kinde Now that this necessary Defensive opposition and resistance against open Regall Hostile violence which hath beene ever held lawfull and frequently practised in all Kingdomes all ages heretofore as just and necessary should become sodenly unlawfull to our Parliament and Kingdome onely at this instant seemes very unreasonable unto me Fourthly It is the expresse resolution of Arist●tle Xenophon Polibius Pope Elutherius in his Epistle to our first Christian King Lucius King Edward the Confessor in his established Lawes c. 17. the Councell of Paris Anno 829. and Isiod●r cited by it Iohn 〈◊〉 I●hn Mariana and generally of all forraigne Divines and Polititians Pagan or Christian yea of Bracton F●●ta Fortescue and King Iames himselfe that a King governing in a setled Kingdome ceaseth to be a King and degenerates into a Tyrant so soone as hee leaves to rule by his Lawes much more when he begins to invade his Subjects Persons Rights Liberties to set up an Abitrary power impose unlawfull T●xes raise Forces and make Warre upon his Subjects whom he should Protect and rule in peace to pillage plund●r ●aste and spoile his Kingdome imprison murther and destroy his people in an hostile manner to captivate them to his pleasure the very highest degree of Tyranny condemned and detested by God and all good men The whole State and Kingdome therefore in such cases as these for their owne just necessary preservation may lawfully with force of Armes when no other course can secure them not onely passively but actively resist their Prince in such his violent exorbitant tyrannicall proceedings without resisting any kingly lawfull royall Authority Vested in the Kings person for the Kingdomes preservation onely not destruction because in and as to these illegall oppressions tyrannicall actions not warranted but prohibited by the Lawes of God and the Realme to whom he is accountable and by whom he is justly censurable for them he is no lawfull King nor Majestrate but an unjust oppressing Tyrant and a meere private man who as to these proceedings hath quite denuded himselfe of his just Regall authority So that all those wholsome Lawes made by the whole State in Parliament for the necessary preservation and defence of their Kings Royall Person and lawfull Soveraigne power the suppression of all Insurrections Treasons Conspiracies and open Warres against them whiles they governe their people justly according to Law as all good Princes are obliged to doe by oath and duty or the open violent resisting of their Lawfull authority and Commands to which all Subjects both in point of Law and Conscience ought cheerfully and readily to Submit will yeeld no publike Countenance Encouragement or Protection at all to Kings in their irregall tyrannicall oppressions or violent courses especially when they turne professed publike enemies to their people proclaime open Warre against them invade their Lawes Liberties Goods Houses Persons and exercise all acts of Hostilitie against them as farre forth as the most barbarous Forraigne Enemies would doe It being against all common sence and reason to conceive that our Parliaments Lawes which strictly inhibit and punish the very smallest violations of the publike peace with all kinds of Oppressions Robberies Trespasses Ba●t●ries Assaults Bloodsheds Fraies Murthers Routs Riots Insurrections Burglaries Rapes Plunderings Force-able Entries Invasions of the Subjects Liberties or Properties in all other persons and greatest publike Officers whatsoever whose Delinquences are so much the more hainous execrable and censurable as their persons honours and places are more eminent should so farre countenance justifie or patronize them onely in the King the Supreame fountaine of Iustice ad tutelam Legis corporum bonorum crectus as Fortescue and Sir Edward Cooke resolve Cujus Potestas Iuris est non Injuriae cum sit author Iuris non debet inde injuriarum nasci occasio unde Iura nasc●nt ur as Bracton and Fleta determine as not to permit the Subjects under paine of Rebillion and high Treason by force of Armes upon expresse command and direction of the whole Kingdome in Parliament so much as to defend their Persons Goods Estates Houses Wives Children Liberties Lives Religion against the open violence of the King himselfe or his Malignant plundring murthering Papists Caveleers When as Kings of all others as Bracton Fortescue and Mariana prove at large both by Oath and Duty ought to be more
dispositio r●rum a Domino sit collata potestas And using likewise these memorable Speeches in those blind daies against the Pope and his usurped Supremacy with liberty Vt quid ad no●se extendit Romanorum insatiata cupiditas Quid Episcopis Apostolicis Militiae nostrae Ecce successores Constantini non Petri non imitantur Petrum in meri●is vel operibus nec assimulandi sunt in Potestate Proh pudor marcidi ribaldi qui de armis vel li●eralitate minime norunt jam toti mundo propter excommunicationes suas volunt dominari ignobiles usurarij Simoniales O quantum dissimu●es Petro qui sibi Petri usurpant partem c. I conceive this Excommunication rather justifies then disproves the lawfulnesse of this their taking up of armes and the warre insuing it being but for their owne just defence when the King afterwards with fire sword and bloody barbarous Forraigne Forces wasted his Realme in a most inhumane tyrannicall maner Factus de Rege Ty●annus imo in bestialem prorumpens feritatem c. which necessitated the Barons for their own preservation and the Kingdoms devoted by this unnaturall Prince to Vassallage and utter desolation to elect Lew●s of France for their King Who together with the Peeres and Estates of France assembled at Lions concerning this Election resolved it to be just and lawfull and the Barons Defensive Warres against and rejection of King Iohn for his Tyranny and oppressions to be just and honourable since they did but flee to these extraordinary remedies and seeke for justice abroad when they were denied it by him that should give it them in as or●inary way at home chosing as King in place of a Tyrant as Matthew Paris with the generall History of France written by Iohn de Serres and Englished by Edward Grimston m●re largely manifest Secondly the Lawfulnesse and justnesse of the B●rons Warres in Defence of Magna Chart● with other their Hereditary Rights and Liberties appeares most evidently by the resolution of all those Parliaments summoned by King Herry the 3d. Edward the 1 ● 2. 3. Richard the 2 d and other our succeeding Kings which have many times even by force of Armes or Menaces and sometimes by faire termes caused these Kings by new Acts of Parliament of ratifie Magna Charta the Chart●r of the Forest with other Fundamentall Liberties thus forcibly extorted from King I●hn at first and constrained them to confirme hem with their Oathes and sol●mne publicke Excommunications to be published by the Bishops in their Diocesse twice every yeare oft solemnly vowing and protesting both in and out of Parliament to defend these Lawes and Liberties with their estates armes lives blood which their anc●st●rs had purchased with their blood as I have manifested in the two first parts of this Discourse All which they would no doubt have forborne had they deemed it high Treason or Rebellion in point of Law to take up armes against their Kings in defence o● these Lawes and Privileges neither would our Kings and Parliaments in times of Peace have so frequently confirmed these Lawes and Immunities as just and necessary for the peoples welfare had they reputed their former purchases and confirmations by warre and armes no lesse then Treason or Rebellion And if it were neither Treason nor Rebellion in the judgements of our Ancestors and those Parliaments which procured and ratified Magna Charta to take up armes in defence thereof much lesse can it be Treason or Rebellion in the Parliament and Subjects now by Votes by Ordinances of both Houses with force of armes to preserv● not only these their hereditarie Charters Lawes Priviledges but their very Lives Estates yea the Privileges and being of Parliaments themselves which are now invaded endangered What opinion the world had of the lawfulnesse of most of the Barons Warres in King Henry the 3d. his Raigne against this troublesome perfidious King in defence of their Lawes Liberties Estates appeares first by the Dialogue betweene Agnellus a Frier minorite one of King Henry his Counsell purposely sent to the Earle Marshall then in armes against the King and this Martiall Earle in the Abbey of Morgan Anno 1233. I will first relate the true state of that Warre and then their Dialogue concerning it King Henry by the ill counsell of Peter Bishop of Winchester removed all his English Officers Counsellors and Servants from his Court and put Poictovines and Forraigners in their places being ruled wholly by them withall he puts the English Garisons out of all his Castles and substitutes Forraigners in them which dayly arived both with Horse and armes in great multitudes and much opprested the people calling them Traitors so that the power and wealth of the Realme was wholly under their Command The Earle Marshall seeing the Noble and Ignoble thus oppressed and the rights of the Kingdome like utterly to be lost provoked with a zeale of Iustice associating to himselfe other Noble men goes boldly to the King reproves him in the hearing of many For calling in those Poictovines by evill Counsell to the oppression of the Kingdome and of his naturall Subjects and like wise of Lawes and Liber●ies Humbly beseeching him hastily to correct these excesses which threatned the imminent subversion both of His Crowne and Kingdome which if he refused to doe he and the other Nobles of the Realme would withdraw themselves from his Counsell as long as he harboured those Strange●s To which Peter of Winchester replyed That the King might lawfully call in what strangers he would for the Defence of his Kingdome and Crowne and likewise so many and such as might compell his proud and rebellious Subjects to due Obedience Whereupon the Earle Marshall and other Nobles departing discontented from the Court when they could get no other answer promised firmely one to another That for this cause which concerned them all they would manfully fight ev●n to the separation of Soule and Body After which they seeing more Strangers arrive with Horse and armes every day sent word to the King That hee should foorthwith remove Bishop Peter and all his Strangers from his Court which if he refused they all would BY THE COMMON CONSENT OF THE WHOLE REALM 〈◊〉 him with his wicked Counsellours out of the Realm and consult of chusing them a new King After these and some other like passage the King raysing an Army besiegeth one of the Earles Castles and not being able to winne it and ashamed to raise his Seige without gaining it he sent certaine Bishops to the Earle and requested him that since he had besieged his Castle and hee could not with Honour depart without winning it which he could not doe by force that the Earle to save his Honour would cause it to be surrended to him upon this condition That hee would restore it certainely to him within 15. dayes and that by advise of the Bishops h● would amend ●all thing amisse in his Kingdome for performance of
the long was elected by the Estates of Navarre to be their king in right of his wife but it was upon conditions drawn in writing which they tendered to him and the Queen to subscribe and sweare to before the solemnities of their Coronation in the Estates assembled at Pampelone which they yeelded willingly unto whereof the principall Articles were these 1. First to the Estates to maintain and keep the Rights Lawes Customes Liberties and priviledges of the Realme both written and not written whereof they were in possession to them and their successours for ever and not to diminish but rather augment them 2. That they should disannull all that had been done to the preiudice thereof by the kings their Predecessors and by their Ministers without delay notwithstanding any Let. 3. That for the tearme of 12. yeares to come they should not coyne any money but such as was then currant within the Realme and that during their lives they should not coyne above one sort of money and that they should distribute part of the revenues profits and commodities of the Realme unto the Subiects 4. That they should not receive into their service above foure strangers but should imploy them of the Countrey 5. That the Forts and Garrison of the Realme should be given unto Gentlemen borne and dwelling in the Countrey and not to any stranger who should do homage to the Queen and promise for to hold them for her and for the lawfull Heire of the Countrey 6. That they should not exchange nor engage the Realme for any other Estate whatsoever 7. That they should not sell nor engage any of the Revenues of the Crowne neither should make any Law nor Statute against the Realme nor against them that should lawfully succeed therein 8. That to the first sonne which God should give them comming to the age of twenty yeares they should leave the kingdome free and without factions upon condition that the Estates should pay unto them for their expences an hundred thousand Sanchets or other French money equivalent 9. That if God gave them no children in that case they should leave the Realme after them free with the Forts in the hands of the Estates to invest them to whom of right it should belong 10. That if they infringe these Articles or any part of them the Subiects should be quit of their Oath of subiection which they ought them These Articles being promised and sworne by the king and Queen they were solemnly crowned and the Deputies of the Estates Noblemen and Officers of the Crown took their obedience to them Vpon this agreement all the Castles and places of strength in Navarre were put into the hands of the Estates who committed them unto the custody of faithfull knights in whose keeping they continued a Catalogue of which Castles with the names of the knights that guarded them by the Estates appointment in the yeare 1335. you may read at large in the Generall History of Spaine Before this Anno 1328. the Estates of Navarre assembled at Puentala Reyna to resolve without any respect TO WHOM THE REALM OF NAVARRE BELONGED whether to Edward king of England or to Iane Countesse of Eureux The Estates being adjourned to Pampelone the chief Town of the Realme their opinions were divers many holding that king Edward should have the Realm as Granchilde born of the daughter to Queen Iane daughter to King Henry rather then the Countesse of Eureux in regard of the Sex others with more reason held for the Countesse who was in the same degree but daughter to a Son and Heir to Queen Iane. These prevalled drawing the rest to their opinion whereupon the Countesse was declared true and lawfull Queen of Navarre the Realm having been vacant above four Moneths And untill that she and Count Philip her husband should come and take possession of the Realm they declared the Regent and Viceroy Don Iohn Corberan of Leet Standard bearer of the Realm and Iohn Martines of Medrado Lo here a Parliament of the Estates of Navarre summoned by themselves without a King determining the Right of succession to the Crown appointing a Vicegerent and prescribing such an Oath and Articles to their king as you heard before Anno 1331. king Philip of Navarre to administer justice erected a new Court of Parliament in Navarre which was called New to distinguish it from the old HE AND THE THREE ESTATES of the Realm NAMING MEN WORTHY OF THAT CHARGE Queen Iane and Philip deceasing their son Charles the second surnamed the Bad for his crueltie and ill manners was called by the three Estates of Navarre to Pampelone and there crowned in their Assembly after the manner of his Ancestors swearing to observe the Lawes and Liberties of the Country A●ter which a far stricter Oath was administred to Charles the 3 An. 1390. Anno. 1325. In a generall assembly of all the Estates of Arragon Don Pedro son to the Infant Don Alphonso was sworn presumptive Heir and Successor to the Crown after the decease of his Grandfather and Father the which was there decreed and practised for that Don Pedro Earl of Ribagorca did maintain that if his brother Don Alphonso should die before their Father the Realm did belong to him by right of propriety being the third brother rather then to his Nephew the son of the second brother In this Assembly the Articles of the generall priviledges were confirmed and it was ordained for a Law That no Freeman should be put to the Racke and that confiscations should not be allowed but in Cases of Coyning and High Treason Anno 1328. Alphonso King of Castile treacherously murthering Don Iohn the blinde his Kinsman in his own Court when he had invited him to dinner on all Saints day and then condemning him for a Traitor confiscating his lands a fact unseemly for a King who should be the mirrour of Iustice Hereupon Don Iohn Manuell stood upon his Guard fortified his Castles revolted from the King for this his Treachery allyed himself with the Kings of Arragon and Granado overran the Countries of C●stile from Almanca unto P●gnafield the Prior of Saint Iohns Don Fernand Rodrigues hereupon caused the Cities of Toro Zamora and Vailledolit to rebell and shut their ga●es against the King and many others likewise re●olted from him At last he was forced to call an Assembly of the Estates who gave him Subsidies to ayde him in his wars against the Moors and to conclude a peace with Don Manuel and his other discontented Subjects whom he afterwards spoiling of their lawfull inheritances and pursuing them in their honours and lives by Tyrannous crueltie extending his outragious disdain even to women of his own blood he thereby so estranged most of his Princes and Nobles from him that they revolted from him and j●yned with Mahumet king of Granado and the Moors in a warre against him which lasted three or four yeers putting him to infinite troubl● exations and expences enforcing him to make a