had not been as careful and diligent and as ready and forward to discover them a great while since I gave his Majesty says he an account to the best of my knowledge and he seemed to be well pleased and thankt me for it but before I had power to put it in writing the Council thought it fit that I should be committed to Prison That there was a designe to set up the Duke of Monmouth I will not say while the King reigns though some extravagant hot-headed men have taken upon them to discourse these things but not any worthy man I know those that have been worthy to be called by that name have declared in my hearing that in opposition to the Duke of York if the King be seized they would stand by the Duke of Monmouth There are others that were for a Commonwealth and some few for the Duke of Bucks He confesseth that Goodenough told him the King was to be taken off as he came from Windsor that they wanted a place of meeting in order to it and the place pitched on was Black-heath where Rous advised that a Ball of Silver worth thirty or forty pound might be thrown up and the people invited to come and drink a Bowl of Punch which would have gathered thirty or forty thousand in two or three days time That this Goodenough spake in base Language concerning the Duke of York calling him Rogue and Dog and that we will do his work and that after the Kings decease the Duke of Monmouth having a Vogue with the People must of necessity succeed And he confessed that it was just in God and righteous and just in the King that he died On the 6th of February 1683. in Hillary-Term John Hambden Esq was tryed at the Kings-Bench-Bar upon an Indictment of High Misdemeanour for assembling meeting consulting c. with divers ill-disposed Subjects of the King to disquiet molest and disturb and as much as in him lay to incite stir up and procure Sedition within this Kingdom of England and further to cause an Insurrection and to provide Arms and armed men for that purpose And also for that he did consult agree and consent that a person should be sent into Scotland to invite and incite divers ill-disposed people to come into England to consult and advise with him and others here concerning aâ—â— and assistance from thence to bring about their designes He pleaded Not guilty but upon a full and fair hearing he was found Guilty and Fined forty thousand pounds Which Sentence was given the 12th of February being the last day of the said Term. The Witnesses were James Duke of Monmouth but he did not appear William Lord Howard whose evidence is supported by Sir Andrew Foster Mr. Atterbury one Sheriff thaâ— lodg'd Aaron Smith at Newcastle and Beâ— that directed him the way into Scotland The Lord Chief Justice tells the Jury Thâ—â— if there were another Witness as positive against the Defendant as my Lord Howard the matter would amount to no less than High-Treason The next day being the 7th of February 1683. Lawrence Braddon and High Speke Gent. were tryed upon an Information of High Misdemeanour Subornation and spreading False Reports at the Court oâ— Kings-Bench for that whereas the Earl of Essex on the 10th of July in the thirty fifth year of the King was committed to the Tower for High-Treasons supposed to be committed on the 13th did there kill and murther himself as appear by an Inquest taken in the Tower the 14th day of July in the year aforesaid They not being ignorant thereof but contriving and maliciously and seditiously intending to bring the Kings Government into hatred disgrace and contempt did conspire and endeavour to make the Kings Subjects to believe that the said Inquisition was unduly taken and that the said Earl was murdered by some person in whose custody he was And to bring this to effect they procured false Witnesses to prove it And to perswade others to the belief of it they caused to be declared in writing that the said Braddon would prosecute the matter This is the sum of the Indictment To which they pleaded Not guilty How the Intrigue was managed in brief The 13th of February in the morning the King and Duke going to visit the Tower in the interim of their being there that dreadful accident of the Earl of Essex cutting his own throat happen'd The rumour of the one and the other caused a great concourse of people Among the rest there was one Edwards his son a School-boy of about thirteen years old that having played Truant in the Tower that morning upon this occasion thought it best to tell some strange story when he came home to Dinner to palliate his Truantry and accordingly goes home and tells his Mother and Sisters that he saw a hand throw a Razor out of the window of the Earl of Essex his Chamber They were surprised at this and charged the Boy to tell truth and not to tell lyes to excuse his play as he used to do He persisted in it Mr. Braddon being told of this Boy goes to his fathers house pretending he came from Sir Henry Capel and the Countess to examine the Boy which when he had done he writes a Paper and reads it to the Boy for him to signe The Boy refuses to signe it because he said the whole matter was a lye So Braddon went away but coming another time he got the Boy to signe it telling him it was no harm He also found out a Girl of about the same age that said she saw a hand throw out a bloudy Razor but from whose window she knows not and she said many others saw it but she could name none Braddon goes with this to Sir Henry Capel desiring his assistance in the prosecution of the Earl's murder but Sir Henry directs him to a Secretary of State it being of publick concern He goes to a Secretary has his little Witnesses examined before the King in Council and the business found false and frivolous Mr. Braddon would not rest here being in Conscience bound to prosecute the Murder as he alleadg'd but resolves for the Country and goes to one Mr. Speke desiring his Letter commendatory to Sir Robert Atkins in Gloucester-shire which was granted by that Gentleman who also sent his man along with him to defend him from Assaults To colour this it was pretended that Braddon had word sent him that my Lords death was discoursed the same day it was done at Marlborough and at the Posthouse in Frome nay at Andover two or three days before it happened Mr. Speke's Letter to Sir Robert Atkins concerning Braddon which he had about him when taken commends his great integrity and courage thanking the person 't was writ to for great kindness to him and his friends hoping to get my Lords Murder tryed before the Tryal of any in the Tower saying the Tyde run strong against them and he must not be called Braddon but
most as being Popishly inclined who have given the greatest demonstration of their opposition to it But to return If they wanted any numbers to petition for what they had in designe or any money to begin the Wars Mr. Pym and some other of the five Members were sent into the City who in conjunction with some eminent Preachers such as Mr. Marshal Calamy c. by their long Speeches and fair pretences deceived the hearts and opened the purses of the deluded people From hence came those Tumults that petitioned against the Bishops and Popish Lords and for the bringing the Earl of Strafford and the Archbishop to their Tryals The good Lord of Essex said He never knew but one Bishop viz. Bishop Williams who betrayed his Lord and Master that stood for the good of the Commonwealth As for the rest Mr. Nathaniel Fiennes made a large Speech to shew that Episcopacy was an Enemy to Monarchy whereas his Father spoke and printed to the contrary That the Bishops were too much devoted to the King And the young Gentleman was not long after condemed by Martial Law Now that the Papists had a great hand in our Troubles at home as well as in Scotland doth clearly appear from the Testimony of Sir Edward Cooke and other Transactions already mentioned But it will yet more evidently appear that the Popish Party were chief Agents in animating the English Rebels with whom they held correspondence to that end by the discovery made to Sir W. Boswel by one Andreas ab Habernfield and communicated to the Archbishop September 6. 1640. Which Relation Mr. Prynne found among the Archbishops Papers and caused it to be printed by Order of a Committee of the House of Commons Mr. Prynne urgeth many Arguments to evince the truth of that Plot and says That not onely he but the Parliament as well as the King and Archbishop did believe it and that he must be a Monster of incredulity that doth not believe it The particulars of the discovery that are most to our purpose are as follow 1. That the Discoverer was bred a Papist and an Ecclesiastick and judged a fit person to be Coadjutor to Con the Popes Nuntio by Cardinal Barbarino who under the Pope was made President of the Congregation of Jesuits in England for propagation of Religion But the horrour of this Plot which was to destroy the King and the Archbishop and involve three Nations in Bloud so troubled his Conscience that he not onely discovered the Plot but forsook the Religion that allowed of such bloudy practices 2. That from Con he received and dispatched all the intelligence concerning the Plot which was communicated to Con from a Consult of political Jesuits which met privately in the Province of Wales 3. That there were at least fifty Scotish Jesuits at that time in and about London That one Maxwell a Scotish Earl and Papist was sent into Scotland by the Popish Party with whom two other Scotish Earls were Correspondents whose business it was to excite the Scots to a Rebellion by aggravating the Actions of the English Court particularly the punishment of Prynne Burton and Bastwick and the imposing of the English Liturgie on them 4. That a Chaplain of Hamiltons the Kings Commissioner had often secret conference with Con concerning whom the Informer asking merrily whether the Jews also agreed with the Samaritans Con replied I would to God all Ministers were like him 5. That Cardinal Richlieu sent Mr. Tho. Chamberlain his Chaplain and Almoner to whom a Bishoprick was promised into Scotland who tarried there four months and was not to return till he brought good news 6. That Sir Toby Matthews a politick Jesuit did diligently enquire and transmit Intelligence to Rome 7. That in the house of one Capt. Read was a constant meeting of the Jesuits every Post-day where they received Letters from Rome and made returns in feigned names 8. That Mr. Porter and Windebank the Lord Arundel and his Countess the Countess of Buckingham and others were privy to the Plot and betrayed the Kings Counsels Upon the whole Mr. Prynne makes these remarks That the Conspirators have almost brought their designe to maturity to our shame and grief by new-raised Civil Wars both in England and Ireland but he adds not a word of Scotland That Secretary Windebank and Captain Read with some others went secretly into Ireland to raise a Rebellion there who assured them that there would be such Broils in England that no Force could be sent thence But not a word yet of what was done in Scotland where they were in actual Arms against the King and ceased not till they had effected the death of the Archbishop and the King as this discovery had foretold I shall adde an Observation of Hammond L'Estrange The Presbyterian Party saith he were not the onely men in the Conspiracy â— for in case of general disturbances nothing iâ— more familiar than for several Factions of contrary inclinations and interests to unite aiming at their own several ends And a foul blemish it would have been to the Society of Jesus should they have sate still in a work so proper to their Employment as these Scotish Broils Though they did not reach at the external glory of the Enterprize which they rendred to the Presbyterians yet were they as diligent in their Machinations as possibly they could be hoping to be greatest gainers at last But the Jesuits had done their business having set their Journey-men at work both in England and Scotland and they were ready as Auxiliaries to assist them to which end they mix themselves with the Councils and Armies both of England and Scotland obstructing all Overtures and Treaties of Peace It was not for any love to the King or his Cause that some few of them engaged with his Party but to help on the publick Calamity of the two Nations and to keep on the Wars that they might raise themselves on the ruines of both Parties For that there were more Papists engaged with the Parliament-Armies than the King 's appears by his Majesties Declaration after the Fight at Edghill Oct. 1643. All men know the great number of Papists Commanders and others that serve in their Armies the great industry they used to corrupt the Loyalty and affection of Our loving Subjests of that Religion the private promises and undertakings that they made if they would assist them against Vs all the Laws made in their prejudice should be repealed when nothing could prevail with Vs to invite them to Our Succour or recal Our Proclamation which forbad them so to do We know that a far greater number of Papists are in their Army than Our own And one Robert de Salmonet a Popish Priest and Scotish man who wrote a History of our Wars in French saith of this Fight That which most surprised every one was that they found among the dead at Edge-hill several Popish Priests For although in their Declarations they called the Kings Army
a Popish Army to render it odious yet they had in their Army two Companies of Walloons and other Roman Catholicks And they omitted no endeavours to ingage Sir Arthur Ashton an eminent Roman Catholick to their party In Mr. Prynnes Relation of the Tryal of the Archbishop one Mr. Chaloner was produced who deposed that he being at Bruxels and discoursing with an English Traveller heard him to affirm that Popery would be brought into England and the Introducers should be the Protestants themselves whereat when he wondred the Gentleman told him that the War should be so disguised under false notions and pretences as that the Protestants should ignorantly become the Jesuits servants and by the effusion of their own blood set up Popery p. 415. And because Mr. Prynne mentioned some persons sent into Ireland to stir up the Rebellion there I shall mention also that which the King says of it in his Chapter of that Rebellion I believe saith he it will at last appear that they who first began to embroil my other Kingdoms are in great part guilty if not of the first letting out yet of the not timely stopping those horrid effusions of blood in Ireland And it was observed that when the Design against the Earl of Strafford as also against the King was managing there was a great correspondence between the Leaders of both parties in Ireland of which the Author of the History of Independencie gives so large an account that I shall only select some passages and refer the Reader to see the whole Transaction at his leasure in the History of Independency p. 150 198 p. 230. c. 245. But I shall first insert that which the Royal Martyr hath said in his own vindication concerning the Irish Rebellion That Sea of Blood which hath there been cruelly and barbarously shed is enough to drown any man in eternal both infamy and misery whom God shall find the malicious Author or instigator of its effusion Some men take it very ill not to be believed when they affirmed that what the Irish Rebels did was done with my privity at least if not by my Commission But these knew too well that it is no news for some of my Subjects to fight not only without my Commission but against my Command and Person too yeâ— all the while to pretend they fight by my authority and for my safety I would to God thâ— Irish had nothing to alleadge for their imitation against those whose blame must needs be thâ— greater by how much Protestant principles arâ— more against all Rebellion than those of Papists Nor will the goodness of mens intentions excusâ— the scaudal and contagion of their exampleâ— It is thought by many wise men that the preposterous rigour and unreasonable severity which some men carried before them in England wâ—â— not the least incentive that kindled and blew â—â— into those horrid flames which wanted not predisposed fuel for Rebellion in Ireland wheâ— despair being added to their former discontentâ— and their fears of utter extirpation to theâ—â— wonted oppressions it was easie to provoke to 〈◊〉 open Rebellion a people prone enough to breaâ— out to all exorbitant violence both by some principles of their Religion and the naturâ— desires of liberty I would to God no man hâ—â— been less affected with Irelands sad estate thâ—â— my self I offered to go in person on that expedition but some men were afraid I should haâ—â— any one Kingdom quieted or loath they were to shoot at any mark here less than my self 〈◊〉 that any should have the glory of my destructâ—â— on but themselves Had my many offers been accepted I am confident neither the ruine had been so great nor the calamity so long nor the remedy so desperate So that next to the sin of those that began that Rebellion theirs must needs be who either hindred the speedy suppression of it by domestick Dissentions or diverted the Aids Sir William Parsons said at a publick meeting That within 12 months no Catholick should be seen in Ireland or exasperated the Rebels to the most desperate resolutions and actions by threatning extremities not only to the known Heads and chief Incendiaries but to the whole Community of that Nation When at the earnest intreaty of the chief of the Protestant party there I effected a Cessation in the best sort that the necessary difficulty of affairs would permit I was then to suffer again in my reputation and honour because I suffered not the Rebels utterly to devour the remaining handfuls of the Protestants there I believe it will at last appear that they who first began to embroil my other Kingdoms are in great part guilty if not of the first letting out yet of the not timely stopping those horrid effusions of blood in Ireland Thus far the Royal Martyr And whether the examples of England and Scotland imbroyling those two Kingdoms and proceeding successfully in the Wars against the King did not animate the Irish to those horrid proceedings as in the Irish Letter mentioned in the Introduction is sub Judice The following transactions under the Parliament and Cromwel are a more clear evidence of an actual conjunction with the Irish Rebels against the King Sir John Temple was of the Privy Council in Ireland at the Insurrection and after a person that thought himself disobliged by the King a Parliament-man here in England and one that too much adhered to the Faction He is confident that the chief aim of the Irish was to shake off the English yoke and settle the power in the Natives One Cooke deposed that Tirlogh Brady said That the Irish would within a fortnight have a King of their own p. 83. 66. p. 50 51. The same was deposed by others As was also That they took the Scots for a president they would have the Kingdom in their own hands Laws of their own a Deputy of their own without molestation from another Nation p. 19. That they cared not for King Charles having a King of their own In the Remonstrance p. 54. they called Tyrone their King and his Commission the Kings Commission They affirmed the Scots to be of their side p. 37. That they had the Earl of Argyles hand and most of the Nobility of Scotland Macguire a chief contriver of the Rebellion falling into the Parliaments power was much importun'd by promises and threats to discover whether the King were privy to the Rebellion but he did still acquit the King and all other English from being guilty as much as of knowing it And it is very remarkable that he did this not only while he was under a sentence of Condemnation but when he had been turned off the Cart and recovered again after a most barbarous manner yet still he acquitted the King to his death and denied that ever he saw any Commission from him And whereas the King was accused of granting them a Toleration it is true that he was necessitated to offer that which they had
if any conjecture that he was a flat Papist I believe him not but he was the head of the Grotian Papists and he himself boasted of it ubi supra Now if any would know how far Grotius and consequently the King was a Papist he says He i. e. Grotius was a more arrant Papist than Cassander who dyed in that Communion and was one that owned the Council of Trent and such I think are flat Papists But if Mr. B. did not believe the King to be a flat Papist then his iniquity was the greater to give so many though frivolous instances by way of proof that others might believe what Mr. B. did not Did not Mr. B. know that the fear of introducing Popery was made a chief ground of the War against the King And may he not as well make it a ground of another War against the present King because he adheres to his Bishops whom Mr. B. calls Popish Clergie-men And he says that the Parliament whom they were bound to believe made it their great argument and advantage against the King that he favoured the Papists and on this supposition saith he thousands came in to fight for their Cause And they made one Article against the Archbishop of Canterbury that he endeavoured to introduce Popery whose life on that account they took away though he were indeed one of their greatest adversaries which as it appears by the discovery of the Plot of the Jesuits to take away his life mentioned in the relation of Andreas ab Habernfield and printed by Mr. Prynne wherein because of his constancy to the Established Religion from which he could not be tempted by the offer of a Cardinals Cap made to him from the then Pope by Con his Nuncio they plotted his death so it will appear to be a gross slander by that which followeth And first it shall not be denied that his promoting of decent Ceremonies and some Executions on Seditious persons procured him that ill report among the Fanaticks But he refuted it sufficiently by declaring openly at the Council-Table against the great resort of Papists to Denmark-house of which also he complained to the King with passion as a thing of dangerous consequence and particularly against Sir Toby Matthews and Walter Mountague two active Papists mentioned in Habernfields Discovery And before that time he published his Conference with Fisher the Jesuit one of the best discourses yet extant against them After which time though he could not wipe off the aspersion among the Fanaticks yet he was lookt on by the Papists as their greatest enemy He prevailed to banish both Matthews and Mountague from the Court whereat the Queen shewed some displeasure against him but knowing how able and faithful a Minister he was for the Kings service He reconciled the Queen to him again His Conference with Fisher was for the satisfaction of some persons of Quality on whom the Jesuits had practised Sir Edward Deeâ—ing his professed Adversary says That by â— the Bishop had muzled the Jesuit and struck the Papist under the fifth Rib. In his Preface 〈◊〉 King Charles he says God forbid your Majesty should let the Laws and Discipline sleep for feâ—â— of the name of Persecution and suffer Mr. Fisher and his fellows to angle in all parts of your Dominions for your Subjects Let us have 〈◊〉 dissolving of Oaths of Allegiance no deposâ—â—â— of Kings and blowing up of States for 〈◊〉 their Religion were as good as they pretend they cannot compass it by good means I am 〈◊〉 they ought not to attempt it by bad for if theâ— will do evil that good may come of it theâ— damnation is just He complains there thaâ— the Church was between two Factions as between two Milstones wherefore he thought it his duâ—â— to deliver her from both for he tells the King that no one thing did make conscientious men to waver more in their minds and to be drawn from the sincerity of Religion professed in the Church of England than the want of uniform and decent Order the Romanist being apt to say the Houses of God could not be suffered to lye so nastily were the true Worship of God observed in them the external worship of God in his Church being the great witness to the world that our hearts stand right in that Service And to deal clearly with your Majesty these thoughts and no other made me labour so much for decency and an orderly settlement of the external Worship of God To this I add that the Archbishop did no other than what was practised with good success upon the Papists in Queen Elizabeths days of which I have taken notice before to be acknowledged by our present Dissenters This most Reverend Archbishop was not more averse from the Doctrine of the Papists than from any acquaintance or correspondence with them Panzani and Con two of the Popes Nuncio's often endeavoured some Conference with him but he still put them off though some persons of Quality sollicited it He suppressed Socinian and Popish Books especially that called An Introduction to a devout life written by Francis Sales Bishop of Geneva And to omit many other arguments his Protestation at his death of which hereafter is enough to satisfie all but Infidels Bishop Beadle Anno 1633. certifyed Bishop Laud then of London of the dangerous condition of Ireland by the growth of Popery and informed the Earl of Strafford who was newly made Lord Deputy that the Pope had a greater power in that Kingdom than the King governing there by a Congregation de propaganda fide established not long before at Rome That the Popes Clergie there was double in number to the Kings and they were bound by Oath to maintain the Popes power and greatness against all persons That the Pope had erected a Colledge in Dublin to affront the Kings Colledge One Harris Dean of the New Colledge printed a Treatise against Bishop Vshers Sermon at Wansteed and after the dissolving of the new Frieries in Dublin they erected others in the Country where the people flocked in great multitudes to hear Mass forgetting the Principles of Religion That a Synodical meeting of their Clergy had been held in Drogheda in which they decreed That it was not lawful to take the Oath of Allegiance and therefore it was thought necessary to restrain them by a standing Army Whereupon the Lord Deputy was advised to summon a Parliament and so ordered his affairs as to raise an Army of Twenty thousand men which was maintained mostly out of the Estates of the Papists by which means he kept the Irish in awe and had he been continued there that Hellish Massacre on the English Protestants which followed on the withdrawing of that Great man might in all probability have been prevented But these two Great men the one of which made it his business to prevent Rebellion in the State the other to suppress Faction and Confusion in the Church were made the chief marks at which all the Plots
merciless Souldiers Mr. Baxter approving of the inhumanity by feeding his eyes with so bloudy and barbarous a Spectacle For the truth of which we have this Subscription I Thomas Jennings subscribe to the truth of this Narrative above-mentioned and have hereunto put my Hand and Seal the second day of March 1681 2. Signed and sealed in the presence of John Clerk Minister of Wiche Tho. Darke But to return That which I desire the Reader chiefly to observe is that all the designes of the Dissenting Parties ever since Q. Elizabeth's time have been ushered in with Remonstances and Intelligences of Popish Plots and Massacres and the change of our Religion and loss of Liberties This is the common Prologue to all their intended Tragedies as in the Plot of Tong and his Confederates Sir Jo. Maynard observed About five thousand Letters were to be dispersed through the Nation to possess the people that the Papists would about that time massacre the Protestants which was done says he to raise a fear and discontent in the Nation to induce them to joyn in the designe which was to kill the King and alter the Government The Letter then read in Court was to this effect SIR OVt of the respect which I bear to you in particular and to the Protestant party in general I give you notice of this passage About a fortnight since a woman which you must be ignorant where who had it from a correspondent of the Papists that they intend to make use of their Army which all the world sees they have provided against All-Hallow's Eve next It was thought good therefore in as prudent a way as may be to give notice to our friends in remote parts that they may do what Piety to God Loyalty to their Prince Love to their Country and self-preservation should direct them Sir I call the Eternal God to witness that 't is not to trepan to put a trick upon you but a sober truth and also communicated to a Justice of Peace and by him to the Privy-Council c. Another Intrigue of the two Factions was to effect the dissolution of the late long Parliament of whose Loyalty and love to the Church the King had such signal proofs that he kept them between fourteen and fifteen years together notwithstanding many attempts to have them dissolved They found all things in confusion and met with great difficulties and opposition the Revenues of the Crown were exhausted the Church was razed to the very foundations and the Three Kingdoms turn'd into that which the Factions called a Common-wealth but indeed was a Common woe but by their Conduct the Kings Revenues were increased to such a competency as might support the Royal Crown and dignity and freed Him from that precarious and necessitous condition which was the occasion of his Royal Fathers ruine the Church also was by good and wholsome Laws so well established for holiness and beauty too as that it was once more the envy of the Factions The Laws made for conformity to the Publick Worship were so full that there needed nothing but a due execution of them to destroy the Separation And as to Popery the old Laws were not only revived but a new Test contrived to discover and disable those of that Perswasion from doing mischief There was a Bill prepared by the House of Lords for securing the Protestant Religion as it was then established especially against Popery which was so contrived by a select Committee of the most Religious and Loyal Lords Spiritual and Temporal that the Popish Party said If that past into an Act they must expect fire and faggot These things exasperated both Parties The Earl of Shaftsbury who had been of all parties but never true to the interest of any had serew'd himself into the quality of a Chief Minister of State but not content therewith he aspired to ingross the whole conduct of Affairs both at home and abroad which the King and his Royal Brother not permitting he became an enemy to both and made it his business to perplex and embroil the affairs of the Three Nations And the better to effect it made himself the Head of the Fanatick Party who thinking themselves oppressed for want of liberty to ruine themselves and others and finding no hopes of such a liberty from that Parliament used all possible arts to bring it into contempt in order to its dissolution being confident that if that could be effected they should be able to make such a choice of Parliament-men against another Session as would espouse their interest And indeed they were not deceived for in the succeeding Parliaments they had retrieved the Good old Cause if the great prudence of His Majesty and the Religious Loyalty of the House of Peers had not prevented it And herein they might be assured of the mutual assistance of the Popish party who had conceived as great a prejudice against this Parliament as the other and whose hopes were grounded on our Divisions which they also in conjunction with the Fanaticks thought would most probably be effected by the new Election of Parliament-men Coleman is made chief Agent of the Popish party upon whom though Shaftsbury looked asquint yet they both acted the same thing viz. the dissolution of the Parliament Some said they were a company of young raw States-men that granted whatever the King desired without any deliberation To this the King answered that if they were young and beardless now he would keep them till their beards were grown and they had got more experience Then comes forth in print a Narrator which tells the people that the House of Commons are a company of indigent and out-lawed persons The Court-Favourites or the Dukes Creatures and Pensioners to the King of France and as such the Names of the most Loyal Members were posted up in the City and published in the Country to render them odious and uncapable of another Election The Bishops also are reviled as in 41 as being Popishly affected At length the King having for reasons best known to himself Prorogued this Parliament for fifteen Months being to meet again on the fifteenth of February 1675. they were no sooner met but the Earl of Shaftsbury had got a small Party in the House of Lords to question the legality of their sitting as a Parliament And first the Duke of Buckingham insists 4 Edw. 3. c. 14. 36 Edw. 3. o. 10. that there being divers Acts of Parliament is force for Annual Parliaments this Prorogation for fifteen Months made those Acts impracticable and so in effect the Parliament was dissolved This Motion and Argument was followed by the Earls of Shaftsbury Salisbury and the Lord Wharton but so ill resented by the House of Lords that they were all four sent to the Tower Yet the dispute ended not here for several Pamphlets are written and dispersed to perswade the people that the Parliament was actually dissolved and they were now only a Convertion and no Parliament
of their Religion And doubting of their own strength they consult of ingaging the King of France against their own King to which end they agreed on the following Letter directed Au Roy which Title is not wont to be given to any but their Liege Lord from his Subjects of which his Majesty in his lesser Declaration 1640. took special notice and complained that they courted a Forreign power against him SIR YOur Majesty being the Sanctuary of afflicted Princes and States we have found it necessary to send this Gentleman Mr. Colvil to represent to your Majesty the candor and ingenuity as well of our actions and intentions which we desire to be written with the beam of the Sun as well as to your Majesty We therefore humbly beseech you Sir to give faith and credit to him to what he shall say on our part touching us and our affairs being assured of an assistance equal to your wonted Clemency heretofare and so often shewn to our Nation which will not yield the glory to any other whatsoever to be eternally SIR Your Majesties most humble most obedient and most affectionate Servants Rothes Montross Lesly Marr Montgomery Loudon Forester This Letter was discovered and brought to the King and was proved to be the hand-writing of Loudon who being in London was committed to the Tower and on examination confessed it to be his hand but excused the matter because it was written before the Pacification However they had really engaged Cardinal Richlien who governed the affairs of France He sent one Chamberline his Chaplain a Scot by birth to assist the Covenanters and to attempt all ways for exasperating the first heats with order not to depart till he might return with good news He appointed one of his Secretaries also to reside in Scotland and to march with them into England to be present at the Council of War and direct their business Hamilton's Chaplain also had free access unto Con the Popes Nuncio and a Scotch-man then in England on the same designe And if Mr. Rushworth the Parliaments Historian may be credited there were also at that time some Applications made to the King of Spain who was then the most potent Monarch For p. 970 971. he says That in the year 1639 when the Spanish Armado came on the Coasts of England Scotland being then in a great ferment by the Covenanters some of them thus argued That there could be no Fleet strong enough to attempt them by Sea except all the Kingdom did contribute to it which say they cannot be done except all the States joyn of which we of the Confederacy shall be the greater part and so the Enemy shall be forthwith forced to give liberty of Conscience to the Catholicks or put themselves in danger of losing all From whence it is collected 1. That the Scots thought no Enemies so great as the King and his Party 2. That liberty of Conscience was desired for the Papists as well as themselves 3. That the Covenanters thought themselves the greater part of the States And 4. That there was a secret Confederacy between them and the Papists and this Armado was designed for their assistance And as for the King of Great Britain the Relator says If he will not give liberty of Conscience he shall be reduced to it with no little damage As for Argyle whose Father was a known Papist I suppose he was as much of that as of any Religion though he were the Head of the Covenanters his interest was his Religion as this Action of his doth demonstrate His Father left a second Wife by whose last Will there was given to the Daughters 12000 l. sterling and Argyle prevailed to be admitted Administrator he giving security to perform the Will but shortly after he caused the eldest whose Portion was 5000 l. to marry a Gentleman who accepted onely 1000 l. with her which was paid by Argyle's Surety and not repayed to this day saith my Author As to the other Daughters there was a clause in the Will That if any of them should enter into Nunneries for it seems they were inclinable to the Popish Religion they should have onely 300 l. And being defrauded of their due Maintenance two of them did enter into Nunneries and the third through his neglect was ready to do the like But the Covenanter cared for none of these things See the History of Independency Appendix p. 7. Nor was Hamilton whom the King intrusted as his Commissioner in that Kingdom free from a shrewd suspicion of corresponding with the Papists his Chaplain making frequent Applications to Con the Popes Nuntio by whom he was commended as a man fit for his purpose as shall appear in the discovery made by Sir Will. Boswell of which hereafter The King during the interval of Parliaments which was for thirteen years resolved on a Journy to Scotland to be there crowned He had requested that the Crown might be sent into England to save that Journy but the Covenanters and Papists sent word they durst not do it Marquess Huntly who obtained a Toleration of Popery there told the Council there When his Majesty shall come and be crowned here he will no doubt be sworn to our Laws mean while seeing he hath intrusted us with them we will look they shall be observed And both Papist and Covenanter agreed to tell the King that should he long defer that duty they might perhaps be inclined to make choice of another King The King therefore goes into Scotland and is crowned with great solemnity But being there he makes a revocation of such Lands as had been taken from the Crown in his Fathers minority And by the foresaid Commission of Surrendries upon a Petition of many of the Gentry Ministry and Commons he frees the Ministers and People from the Vassalage of some great men that had ingrossed the Tythes of the Nation allowing the Ministers onely an inconsiderable Pension keeping the generality of the People in dependance on them and so oppressing them that no one durst carry home his nine parts until the Lay-Impropriator had housed his Tenth For this the King received great Honour and Thanks from the greatest part of the Nation but the Lords that were concerned caused it to be reported abroad that this was done to the prejudice of their Religion and to make greater provision for the power and splendour of Bishops and from this time they confederate against the King and provide for a Rebellion Et hinc illoe Lachrymoe But to look back a little into England In the last Parliament called by King James Feb. 19. there was as the King called it a stinging Petition presented against the Papists on which the King spake thus It hath been talked of my remisness in Religion and a suspicion of a Toleration but as God shall judge me I never thought or in word expressed any thing that savoured of it It is true that for reasons best known to my self I did at times forbear
the execution of the Laws which might have hindred more weighty affairs c. The King therefore consented 1. That all Jesuits and Seminary Priests having taken Orders from the See of Rome be forthwith commanded to depart out of his Majesties Dominions and not to return under the penalty of the Laws now in force and that none harbour or conceal them 2. That all Armour and Ammunition be taken from them 3. That all Papists be confined within five miles of their Dwelling-houses and come not within ten miles of London or the Kings or Princes Court 4. That all Subjects be restrained from hearing Mass or other Exercises of Romish Religion in the houses of forreign Embassadours 5. That none be intrusted as Justices of the Peace Lord-Lieutenants Deputies Captains c. who resort not to Divine-Service 6. That the Laws made against Recusants be put in execution and not slacken them on any Treaty of Marriage or otherwise with any forreign Princes To these the King answered I cannot but commend your Zeal in offering this Petition yet I hold my self unfortunate that I am thought to need a Spur to do that which my Conscience and Duty bind me to What Religion I am of my Books my Profession and Behaviour declare and I wish it may be written in Marble and remain as a Mark on me to posterity when I shall swerve from my Religion for he that doth dissemble with God is not to be trusted by men The increase of Popery hath been my grief and my endeavour hath been to prevent it and if I have not been a Martyr I have been a Confessor though I have been far from prosecution I therefore grant your Petition That all Priests and Jesuits depart at a day and will command my Judges to put the Laws in execution against them I will restrain the resort to Embassadours houses and provide for the education of Popish Children for it is a shame they should be brought up here as if they were at Rome And assure your selves I shall never hearken to the intercession of foreign Princes against the Laws Hereupon many Noblemen and others that were in places of trust were put out So that King James could not be suspected of Popery In the first year of King Charles a Parliament being called June 18. a Petition of the like nature is presented to which the King answered That he was glad of their forwardness in Religion and assures them of his readiness to comply with them The particulars being like those in the former and the Answerâ— agreeable I here omit but the King granting all added That he would have done thâ— same things had he not been desired and whâ—â— he now did was from his Conscience and hiâ— Duty to his Father who in his last Speeâ— commended to him the person but not the Religion of the Queen Accordingly the King by Proclamation recals the Children of PAPISTS from beyond the Seas commands 〈◊〉 JESUITS c. to depart his Dominionâ— to disarm all Recusants and forbid the meeting of Papists injoyns the Judges to put the Laâ— in execution against them And many Lord and others suspected of Popery were put oâ— of Commission But King Charles being left intangled 〈◊〉 many expensive affairs by his Father Kinâ— James for the discharge of which his Revenues were insufficient was resolved to caâ— to the Parliament for a Supply which takinâ— advantage of his necessities would not granâ— him any thing considerable unless he woulâ— part with what was of greater value than thâ— Crown And the Priviledge of Parliameâ—â— was made a Rival to the Kings Prerogative for several years together The particulaâ—â— are too large to be here repeated but Siâ— Edward Cooke told the Parliament That thâ— French Embassadour told his Master what had done during this last Parliament in sowing Divisions between the King and his People and he was well rewarded for it And at a Conference with the Lords Sir Edward told them That the Jesuits did vaunt at home and sent Letters abroad that all would be well and doubted not to win ground upon us by our Divisions Which Divisions were then visibly made by some leading men in the Parliament such as Sir John Elliot Mr. Pym and others but by whom they were acted it doth not appear though the mischievous effects of them brought the three Nations into Confusion What sport the Jesuits made of these transactions appears by a Letter taken among some other Papers at Clerkenwel Father Rector LEt not a damp of Astonishment seize on your ardent soul in apprehending the sudden and unexpected calling of a Parliament we have not opposed but rather further it so that we hope as much in this Parliament as ever we feared any in Queen Elizabeth's days You must know the Council is engaged to assist the King by way of Prerogative in case the Parliamentary way should fail You shall see this Parliament will resemble the Pelican which takes a pleasure to dig out with its beak her own Bowels The elections of Knights and Burgesses have been in such confusion of apparent Faction as that which we were wont to procure heretofore with much Art and Industry when the Spanish Match was in treaty Now it breaks out as naturally as a Botch or Boil and spits and spews out its own rancour and venome You remember how that famous and immortal Statesman Count Gundamor fed King James's fancy and rock'd him asleep with the soft and sweet sound of Peace to keep up the Spanish Treaty he had but one principal means to further the great designe which was to set on King James that none but the Puritan Faction which plotted Anarchy and his Confusion were averse to this most happy Vnion We steered on the same course and have made great use of this Anarchical Election and have prejudicated and anticipated the Great One that none but the Kings Enemies and his are chosen of this Parliament c. We have now many Strings to our Bow and have strongly fortified our Faction and have added two Bulworks more For when King James lived you know he was very violent against Arminianism and interrupted with his pestilent Wit and deep Learning our strong designes in Holland and was a great friend to that old Rebel and Heretick the Prince of Orange Now we have planted the Soveraign Drug Arminianism which we hope will purge the Protestants from their Heresie and it flourisheth and bears fruit in due season The Materials which build up our Bulwork are the Projectors and Beggars of all ranks and qualities to destroy the Parliament and to introduce a new species and form of Government which is Oligarchy These serve as direct Mediums and Instruments to our end which is the universal Catholick Monarchy Our foundation must be Mutation and Mutation will cause a Relaxation which will serve as so many violent Diseases as the Stone Gout c. to the speedy destruction of our perpetual and insufferable anguish of body which
forced from him before but it was with such restrictions that they liked it not but took it on their own terms And indeed the King told them by one of his Secretaries You insist on something in Religion more than formerly you were contented with I am therefore commanded to let you know that were His Majesties condition much lower you shall never force him to any further Concessions to the prejudice of his Conscience and of the Protestant Religion in which he is resolved to live and for which he is ready to dye and that he will joyn with any Protestant Prince nay with his Rebels at home rather than yield the least to you in this particular And this was the joynt opinion of the Papists in England and Ireland that the King would give them all up as a Sacrifice to compass a Peace with his Parliament though they had been Loyal to him in his extremity The Marquess of Ormond and those that acted for the King under his Lieutenancy in Ireland was so prosperous in his endeavours to reduce that Kingdom to the obedience of the Crown that a Peace was made with the most considerable of the Confederate Irish But they being otherwise tampered with by the Parliament-party contrary to their Faith and promise the Popes Nuntio and some Irish Clergy prevailed with the Vlster-Irish under Owen Roe Oneale to refuse to come under the Kings Authority Of which the Author of the History of Independency p. 150. of the Second part tells us in the Margent that the Council of Officers endeavour to joyn interests with the Papists in England and Ireland And then says The King had offended the Papists in the last Treaty in granting so much to the Parliament for their suppression The Independents perceiving it and willing to joyn with any interest to make good their design it was proposed at the Council of Officers that the Papists should raise and pay Ten thousand additional Forces for the Army in recompence whereof all penal Laws concerning them should be repealed all Taxes and Contributions taken off and they to have the protection of the Parliament and Army Vnder the same notion they endeavoured to joyn interests with Owen Roe Oneale who commanded that bloody party of Massacring Irish with which they had formerly taxed the King They supplyed him with Ammunition and admitted O Rely the Popes Irish Nuntio to a Treaty here in England Sir John Winter was taken into imployment and the arrears of his Rent gathered for him by Souldiers to the regret of the Country Sir Kenelme Digby had a Pass to come into England and came as he was foretold by a Letter by an Independent Agent for the Army from Paris to an Independent Member of the House of Commons a creature of the Army dated 28 November 1648 and printed at the later end of The true and full relation of the Officers and Armies forcible seizing of divers eminent Members Walter Mountague was let forth on bail What becomes of this Negotiation whether those that played fast and loose with all interests in the Kingdom have not done the like with the Papists this Author shews in the following relation for p. 198. he says the under-hand combination between the Independent party and Owen Roe Oncale is now openly declared and avowed by their own licensed News books Owen Roe and Colonel M. are joyned says the modest Narrative Our party have permitted Three hundred of Onealâ— own Regiment to quarter in our parts among the Creats within two miles of Dundalk saith the Scout Owen Roe and Berne are come towardâ— Colonel Jones and Colonel M. 's quartersâ— he is so fair as to pay Contribution his quarters are to the Scots side of Dublin to prevent their giving aid to Ormond in his attempt up on Dublin Who can blame necessity Nor dâ— our Grandees now deny this Confederacy with the bloody Popish Massacring Rebels although they had the impudence to make the only supposition thereof one of the principal charges against the late King and to raise a great outcry against the Marquess of Ormond and Lord Inchiquine for their cessation with Preston which was to prevent the Cromwellists who offered to associate with him on conditions much more prejudicial to the Protestant Religion and English interest than the Marquess gave them they offered Oneale all the Lands in Ulster forfeited by his Grandfather Tyrone Shan Oneale and others attainted thereby destroying the British Planters there c. P. 2â—â— He refers to a paper called The Association between Oneale c. And another called The true state of the Transactions with Owen Roe Oneale as it was reported to the Parliament by the Council of State printed by Edw. Husbands 15 Aug. 1649. This was so abhorred by the English Souldiery that many there took occasion to forsake the English Parliament and many here disbanded rather than they would accompany Cromwel in so wicked an Expedition and I doubt not but the imposing on some of the Independent Officers such a vile drudgery did so much dissatisfie them as to make them after they had extricated themselves from their toyls to bethink themselves how they might serve a better Master I shall therefore beg pardon for transcribing the progress of this affair referring the Reader to the former Quotations Cromwel writes Letters to his Creatures of the Council of State complaining how much the miscarriage of that agreement had retarded his voyage desiring them for satisfaction of the Souldiery and people to treat with some body to take the whole business on himself and to clear the Council of State the Parliament and Cromwel himself from having any hand in it And to carry on the Scene this Agreement was with much heat of zeal complained of in the House of Commons by a Brother who had his Cue before-hand and by the Juncto was referred to the Council of State as was forelaid where after some private conference with him whom they had intrusted to accommodate the business they publickly voted their dislike of it Bradshaw reprehending him for it and at last they ordered that the whole business with the reasons for his justification should be reported by Tho Scot to the House of Commons which was done on Friday Aug. 10. whereupon their Commissioner was called to the Bar where the Speaker asked him What persons he meant in his Letter to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland wherein he saith he made the agreement with Oneale with the advice of some others He answered That he did it on his own score for so he was instructed and cautioned before and his life had been in danger if he had done otherwise without advice of any only having discourse with Colonel Jones he told him if he could keep Owen Roe and Ormond from joyning iâ— would be a good Service This Answer was taken for satisfactory The next demand was Whether he had any advice or directions from the Parliament Council of State Lord Lieutenant of
that time divers Petitions from several parts of the Kingdom complained of the great increase of Popery and Superstition and the people call earnestly to have the Laws put in execution When these Petitions were promoted by their own Members and that Decency which was used in the Church the Superstition and Popery which they remonstrated against but not one word of putting the Laws in execution against the Separatists 2. That Priests and Jesuits swarmed in great numbers That of late years about the City of London Priests and Jesuits have been discharged out of prison That the Pope had then a Nuntio in the City The great resort to Mass at Demark-house That on the reprieve of Goodman the City of London refused the advance of Money for supply of his Majesties Army for that reason Therefore they desire that Goodman may be left to Justice To this the King answered Concerning Goodman that he being found guilty onely as being a Priest on which account neither King James nor Queen Elizabeth put any to death be did reprieve him desiring them to consider the inconvenience that may fall on his Subjects and other Protestants abroad by executing of such severity That he will put the Laws in execution against Popery and Superstition the increase whereof was much against his mind That he would speedily issue out a Proclamation for all Priests and Jesuits to depart the Kingdom within one month or to be proceeded against according to Law As for Rosetti the Popes Nuntio that he had no commission but was onely to correspond between the Queen and the Pope which was warranted by Articles of Marriage yet he had perswaded her to dismiss him within a time to take away the offence That he would restrain the resort of Papists to Denmark-house and the Chappels of Embassadours But instead of being satisfied with these Answers four Members of Parliament acquaint the Lords of a monstrous designe of the Papists an Army of fifteen thousand in Lancashire eight thousand Irish Papists under the Earl of Strafford and many thousands in divers other places well armed and payed by the Earl of Worcester Of which Sanderson in the Life of King Charles says p. 360. After-Ages will think these Hyperboles there being no such Armies possible by them nor no such fears in others Yet this Message was carried from the Lower to the Vpper House and gave occasion to a multitude of people to frame Petitions sutable to Plots Fears and Jealousies for the Parliaments purpose And Alderman Pennington with some hundredâ— of the Rabble presents a Petition in the name of fifteen thousand Citizens against Bishops and their Jurisdiction How little they cared for Religion though their actions sufficiently declared yet their expressions were not wanting A Great Creature of theirs said modestly That they haâ— power enough to take the Crown from the King if the Gospel did not hinder them but theâ— did it with a Non Obstante Mr. Hambdeâ— being asked by a Minister in the beginning of the War Why Religion was made a cause 〈◊〉 it answered Because the people would not stâ—â— else But H. Martyn told them in the House They need not lye for a good Cause it was nâ—â— Religion but Liberty they fought for And so little did some of them value their Religion that as Col. Morley and others with hiâ— said They would cast themselves upon any Nation even the Turk rather than let the King subdue them Mr. B.'s Key for Catholicks mentioneth several of the Popish designes which saith he are grounded on this Maxime That their foundation must be Mutation which will cause a Relaxation and serve as so many violent Diseases as Stone or Gout to a speedy Destruction p. 318. Upon which he adds this Consultation of the Jesuits We shall necessitate the Puritan Protestants to keep the King as Prisoner or else to put him to death If they keep him as a Prisoner his diligence and friends and their own divisions will either work his deliverance and give him the day again by our help or at least will keep the State in a perpetual unsetledness and will bring an odium on them or if they cut him off which we will rather promote lest they should make use of his extremities to any advantage then first we shall procure the odium of King killing to fall on them which they are wont to cast upon us and so shall be able to disburthen our selves Secondly And we shall have them all to pieces in Distractions for they will either set up a new King or the Parliament will keep the power changing the Government into a Democracy The first cannot be done without great Concussions and new Wars and we shall have an opportunity to have a hand in all and if it be done it may be much to our advantage The second will apparently by Factions and Distractions give us footing for continual attempts But to make all sure we will have our footing among the Puritans too that we may be sure to maintain our interest which way soever the world goes This was the Frame of the Papists Plot. In the next page he tells us of the Letters of the Agents of the Agitators in France published in the weekly News-books commending the Jesuits for good men and how agreeable they were to them in their Principles for a Democracy and what meet Materials for such a Commonwealth the Jesuits would be The Agencies of particular men with Jesuits he says I purposely omit p. 321. Mr. Baxter doubtless knew more than 〈◊〉 mentions he had an Idea of all their Plots and Principles in 's own brain And p. 329 saith It is opened by many in print how far thâ— Jesuits crept into all Societies under the name of Independents He tells us a story of onâ— that came from Scotland pretending himself a Jew who gave the Anabaptists the glory oâ— his Conversion and was rebaptized at Heâ—ham but was discovered at Newcastle to be â— Jesuit The whole story is in print And p. 321. he acquaints us that Sexby and otherâ— of the Army did confederate with Spain tâ— murther Cromwel when they found that hâ— attempted to make himself a King And hereupon it was that Cromwel took distaste aâ— the Papists and prevailed to make an Acâ— with this Preamble Anno 1656. Forasmuâ—â— as there is a great increase of Popish Recusants within this Commonwealth by reason whereof great danger may follow to the Commonwealth they being persons very active in mischievous Plots and Conspiracies c. This doubtless was well known by Cromwel who had made great use of them to effect his mischievous designes Peter du Moulin in his Answer to Philanax Anglicus p. 59. observes that a year before the Kings death a select number of English Jesuits were sent from their Party in England first to Paris to consult with the Faculty of Sorbone who were then wholly Jesuited about this Question Whether seeing the State of England was in a likely posture
to change Government it was lawful for the Catholicks to work that change for the advancing and securing the Catholick Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his Heresie This was answered affirmatively after which the same persons went to Rome where the same Question being propounded and debated it was concluded by the Pope That it was both lawful and expedient for the Catholicks to promote that alteration of State c. When that horrid Parricide had taken effect the Pope commanded all the Papers about that Question to be gathered and burnt In obedience to which Order a Roman Catholick in Paris was demanded a Copy which he had of these Papers but the Gentleman who had time to consider and detest the wickedness of that Project refused to give it and shewed it to a Protestant friend of his relating to him the whole carriage of this Negotiation with great abhorrency of the Practices of the Jesuits And when these Jesuits returned from Rome they brought many more after them to help on the same Work which at last they effected to their great joy The Roman Priest and Confessor is known who when he saw the fatal stroak given to our holy King and Martyr flourished with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy that we had in the world is gone A Protestant Lady living in Paris was perswaded by a Jesuit to turn Catholick when the dismal news of the King's Murther came to Paris this Lady as all other good Subjects was deeply afflicted with it and when this Jesuite came to see her and found her melted in Tears for that Disaster he told her with a smiling countenance That she had no reason to lament but rejoyce rather seeing the Catholicks were rid of their greatest Enemy and that Cause was much furthered by his death Upon which the Lady in great anger put him down the stairs saying If that be your Religion I have done with you for ever and God hath given her grace to make her words good hitherto Many intelligent Travellers can tell of the great joy among the English Convents and Seminaries about the Kings death as having overcome their Enemy and done their main work for their settlement in England of which they made themselves so sure that the Benedictines were in great care that the Jesuits should not get their Land and the English Nuns were contending who should be Abbasses in England An understanding Gentleman visiting the Fryars in Dunkirk put them on the discourse of the King's death and to pump out their sence about it said That the Jesuits had laboured very much to compass that work To which they answered That the Jesuits would ingross to themselves the glory of all great and good works and of this among others whereas they had laboured as diligently and effectually for it as they So that both the Jesuits and Seculars had laboured to bring the King to death and the Army of Fanaticks were their Instruments to put it in execution Monsieur de Bourdeaux the French Embassadour being resident in London when General Monk had gotten the power of the City and the affections of the People earnestly desired to interest the King of France and Cardinal Mazarine in the Revolution of Government and made way for an Address to the General by his Brother-in-law Clergis to whom he imparted that Cardinal Mazarine would be glad to have the honour of his friendship and assist him faithfully in all his Enterprizes and that the General might be more confident of the Cardinal he assured him that Oliver Cromwel kept so strict a League with him that he did not assume the Government without his privity and was directed step by step by him in the progress of that action and therefore if he resolved on that course he should not onely have the Cardinals friendship and counsel in the attempt but a safe Retreat and honourable Support in France if he sailed in it But Mr. Clergis assured him that the General did not intend to take the Government upon him but to submit all to the determination of the next Parliament The King being in the Territories of the King of Spain when the General was minded to declare for him Sir Jo. Greenvil was dispatched by the General to his Majesty to desire him to depart out of the King of Spain's Dominions to Breda or some other place under the Government of the States of the Vnited Provinces for that he had certain intelligence he would be detained by the King of Spain's Ministers if he stayed in his Dominions Upon which Advice within two or three days he went to Breda where he continued till he was invited to his Kingdoms There was found in the Study of Francis Young after his death a Paper containing Advices given to him by Seignior Bellarini concerning the best way of managing the Popish interest in England upon the Kings Restauration The first Advice is to make the obstruction of Settlement their great designe especially upon the fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom whereunto if things should fall they would be more firm than ever Secondly To remove the Jealousies raised by Prynne Baxter c. of their designe upon the late Factions and to set up the prosperous way of fears and jealousies of the King and Bishops Thirdly To make it appear under-hand how neer the Doctrine Worship and Discipline of the Church of England comes to us at how little distance their Common-prayer is from our Mass and that the wisest and ablest men of that Way are so moderate that they would willingly come over to us or at least meet us half way hereby the most stayed men will become more odious and others will run out of all Religion for fear of Popery Fourthly That there be an Indulgence promoted by the Factious and seconded by You. Fifthly That the Trade and Treasure of the Nation may be engrossed between themselves and other discontented Parties Sixthly That the Bishops and Ministers of the Church of England be aspersed as either worldly and careless on one hand or so factious that it were well they were removed All these Directions will appear to have been followed precisely by both Parties The Grandees of the Committee at Derby-house and the Army sollicite the detaining of the Prince in France and delaying his Journy for England lest he should trouble the yet-unsetled Kingdom of the Saints To negotiate which they have an Agent lying Lieger with Cardinal Mazarine who is so well supplied with Money and so open-handed that it hath been heard from Mazarine's own mouth that all the Money the Queen and Prince had cost the Crown of France came out of the Parliaments Purse with a good advantage It is likewise said Mazarine had an Agent here to drive on the interest of France in England Hist of Independ 2 part p. 112. And it is known that Cromwel's interest with France when the present King fled thither after
and Darts both of Jesuits and Fanaticks were aimed that by their fall they might more easily destroy the King as it afterward hapned and notwithstanding their serious and succesful endeavours to suppress Popery in Ireland they are reputed and accused for Papists in England but the true reason was the Earl of Strafford and the Archbishop being two of the most faithful Ministers of State that the King had the Scots endeavour in the first place to take them out of the way For A Parliament being called on Novemb. 3. 1640. the Scots under pretence of Religion got a considerable Party in both Houses to help on their designe To which end at their entrance into England they made a Remonstrance That their just desires so necessary for the good of both Kingdoms could find no access to the ears of their gracious King by reason of the powerful diversion of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Deputy of Ireland who being strengthened with a mighty Faction of Papists near the King did rule in all matters both Temporal and Ecclesiastical making the necessity of their service to his Majesty to appear in being the onely fit Instruments under a pretext of vindicating his Majesties Honour is oppress the Liberties of his free Subjects and the true reformed Religion And this Remonstrance they seconded with another Libel called The Intention of the Army signifying to the People of England That they had no designe to waste their Goods or spoil their Country but onely to petition his Majesty to call a Parliament and to bring the Archbishop and Deputy to condign punishment At this time they set forth a Book against the Archbishop called Laudensium Autocatacrisis endeavouring to prove out of the Archbishop's Writings that he designed to bring in Superstition Popery and Arminianism There comes also a Petition from some Lords complaining of the great increase of Popery and of many inconveniencies drawn on the Kingdom by engaging against the Scots This was signed by the Earls of Essex Hartford Rutland Bedford Exeter Warwick Mulgrave and Bullingbrooke the Lords Say Mandevil Brook and Howard And this was seconded by another from London The day for the sitting of the Parliament being appointed on the third of November the Archbishop was advised that the Parliament in the 20 of Hen. 8. which began in the fall of Cardinal Wolsey and the diminution of the power and priviledges of the Clergie and ended in the dissolution of Religious houses was begun on the same day and therefore he should move the King to respite their sitting for a day or two The event proved too sadly ominous for this begun with the fall of the Archbishop the Rites and Priviledges of the English Clergie Bishops Deans and Chapters and the Cathedrals left without any means to repair them But there were other strange accidents observed by Dr. Heylen in the Life of the Archshop p. 450. On Friday-night Jan. 24. 1639. he dreamt that his Father came to him and askt him what he did there and he asked his Father how long he would stay there who replied He would stay till he had him along with him This Dream he noted in his Breviate In December that year the Boats that were drawn on land neer Lambeth were by a violent tempest dasht against one another and broken in pieces And the tops of two Chimneys were blown down and beat through the Lead and Rafters on the Bed in which he was wont to lie but the roughness of the water kept him that night at his Chamber in White-hall The same night at Croyden one of the Pinacles fell from the Steeple and beat down the Lead and Roof of the Church twenty foot square The same night at the Metropolitical Church in Canterbury one of the Pinacles which carried a Vane with the Archbishop's Arms upon it was blown down and carried a good distance off falling on the Roof of a Cloyster where the Arms of the See of Canterbury were ingraven in Stone which by the fall of the Pinacle were broken in pieces whereat some did conjecture that he should not onely fall himself but the Archiepiscopal Dignity should fall with him But the Archbishop took most notice of anotheer Accident on St. Simon and Jude's Eve a week before the sitting of the Parliament when going into his upper Study where his Picture in full length was wont to hang he found it fallen on the ground and lying flat on its face On Saturday May 9. 1640. a Paper was posted on the Exchange animating the Apprentices to sack his House at Lambeth the Munday following he therefore so fortified his Palace that though five hundred persons attempted it they could do nothing but they broke open the Prisons in Southwark and freed their Comrades for which actions one Bensteed a Leader of the Rabble was condemned and executed The great cry was That he endeavoured to bring in Popery Mr. Prynne says he was at least a Cassandrian Papist and endeavoured a reconciliation between us and Rome A Book written against him called The English Pope printed 1643. tells us how far the King and Pope had agreed The King saith he required a Dispensation from the Pope that the English Catholicks might resort to the Protestant Churches take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and that the Popes Supremacy was to be changed into a Priority and that marriage should be permitted to the Priests the Communion administred under both kinds and the Liturgie in the English Tongue But though these Concessions were more than the Pope would grant yet another Libel says There were general Propositions made for this agreement and that the Archbishop had made some Innovations in order thereto Popes Nuncio p. 11. But what the Archbishop did was not with a respect to peace with Rome but to the setling of the Church of England on the first Principles of Reformation and to make it more amiable even to the Papists whom he aimed to win over first by Conferences and then by an external Decency in the publick Service the Catholicks being much offended at the slovenly keeping of our Churches and the irreverence of the People at their Devotion And though some accounted the Archbishop's actions in renewing ancient Rites to give advantage to Popery yet others more knowing said that it would tend to the honour and advantage of the Church of England for Dr. Heylin reports that he heard from a person of known Nobility that being with a Father of the English Colledge at Rome one of the Novices told him with great joy that the English were about to set up Altars and officiate in Copes to adorn their Churches and paint their Windows and were returning to the Church of Rome To whom the Father replied with some indignation That he talked like an ignorant Novice and that these proceedings rather tended to the ruine than advancement of the Catholick Cause because the Church of England coming nearer to the ancient Vsages the Catholicks there
horrid and treasonable Plot and Conspiracy contrived and carried on by those of the Popish Religion for murthering of his Majesties sacred Person and for subverting the Protestant Religion and the ancient and well-established Government of this Kingdom Of which Coleman by several Evidences and his own Letters was found guilty in conspiring the death of the King and endeavouring to subvert the Protestant Religion and to bring in Popery by the aid of foreign Powers for which he was executed December 3. 1678. Ireland Pickering and Grove were executed for the like Treasons Jan. 24. Green Berry and Hill were condemned Feb. 10. for the Murther of Sir Edmond-bury Godfrey Whitebread Harcourt Fenwick Gauan and Turner were condemned on the 14th of June 1679. And Richard Langhorne was condemned the same day And the Lord Stafford was also executed for the same Plot and Conspiracy It is true that all these Coleman onely excepted whose Letters then produced were so plain that they admitted of no evasion denied their guiltiness to the last breath but it was a practice allowed to men under their circumstances and had been practised by other of their Perswasion in the like case for Garnet Whitebread's Predecessor a Principal of the Jesuits being accused for the Gunpowder-treason as holding correspondence with one Hall then in the Tower utterly denied it with horrid Imprecations which when Hall confessed he beg'd pardon and confessed he had offended if Equivocation did not help him Tresham another of the Conspirators had confessed that Garnet was privy to the Treason but afterward by the importunity of his Wife he protested a little before his death that his former Confession was false and that he had not seen Garnet in sixteen years before Which Protestation of his was afterward proved to be false and Garnet himself confessed that he had seen him many times within that space And in a Book called The Jesuits Catechism penned as is said by some Secular Priests Anno 1602 they say That a Jesuit being condemned to die after he hath made his Confession to a Priest he is not tyed to reveal his guilt to the Judge but it is lawful for him to stand in a stiff denial of it at the time of Execution as being clear before God although he persist in a Lye after he hath discharged his Conscience to his Confessor p. 166 167. The Author of Remarks on the Debates of the House at Oxford tells us That those Debates were as great a Witness for the King as any he had For R. M. says he said That the King 's telling them in his Speech that he would stick to his Resolutions as to the Succession and his proposing an Expedient is arbitrary and French and that it was the Kings designe to cow the Parliament to bring them to Oxford And that neither Bishops nor Counsellors nor Ministers of State nor those of the Gospel have endeavoured to preserve Religion or Safety T. B. says plainly They must let bloud Sir N. C. says As I understand it is proposed the Government shall be in Regency during the Duke's life I would be satisfied if the D. will not submit to that whether those that fight against him are not Traytors in Law H. B. says The same interest that passeth the Bill here will do it in Scotland Another insists That all about the King should be removed and that though Ministers have been altered yet the Government hath been in such hands as that the same Principles remain Sir W. C. says That the weight of England is the people and the more they know the heavier they will be and that in all Ages they have sunk ill Ministers of State And doubtless good ones too R. H. looks on the slipping the Bill for Repealing the Act of 35 of Eliz. to be a breach of the Constitution of the Government which if it had been moved in Queen Elizabeth 's days that motion would certainly have been so thought B. W. says of the King's Speech That it was none of his that it had nothing of his in it that it is flat and short That his Majesty was a better man and a better Protestant than to make it himself and that they who advised it must answer for it And yet to shew on whom he meant to throw this Dirt he says afterward The King hath gone on in a resolution as far as this in his Speech in his Declaration formerly Sir W. J. observes That no man knowing in Laws or History but can tell us that to Bills grateful and popular the King gives his consent L. G. is dissatisfied with these hands in which the Government is and fears the Kings being Absolute And therefore Sir F. W. says The same Authority that can make a descent of the Crown can modifie it All their Votes and Speeches must be Printed to shew they are not ashamed of what they do Col. M. hopes that his Posterity will do as he among the rest hath that Meeting and the former done This Bill of Exclusion to alter the Succession and modifie the Crown and the Repeal of the Act 35 Eliz. is the means used to secure the King's Person and the Protestant Religion Though the King and the established Church are of a quite contrary judgment And the Act 13 Car. 2. 1660 which says That by the undoubted fundamental Laws of this Kingdom neither the Peers of this Kingdom nor the Commons nor both together in Parliament nor any other person whatsoever ever had hath or ought to have any Coercive power over the persons of the Kings of this Realm And by the person of the King is meant all such persons to whom the Crown legally descends The mischiefs of altering the Succession hath cost too dear already to attempt another Experiment The Dispute between the Houses of York and Lancaster cost the Nation the lives of Eight Kings and Princes Forty Dukes Marquesses and Earls Two hundred thousand of the People besides Barons and Gentlemen and so much Money and Spoil as cannot be valued So that it is sufficiently evident that these irregular and violent Proceedings were a Prologue to some intended Tragedy There were hot Irons on the Forge we heard the blows throughout the Nation and sparks of fire flew about our ears But God be thanked none of those Weapons which were forged against the King or the Church have prospered Hitherto the Lord hath helped us The Fanatick Party carried on their designes more openly than the Papists insomuch that they thought to bear down all before them by the numbers and strength of their Party The Pulpits and Presses do not onely sound Alarms but cry Victoria Their Peaceable designe had divided the Bishopricks between Presbyterian Independent and Anabaptist They promise the true Protestant Peacemakers more favour than they had from their Conforming Brethren because they joyned in a Complaint of Persecution Mr. Baxter in his Book of Obedience and Patience p. 265. tells us That Persecutors are not immortal but
was forming some Villains were carrying on that horrid and execrable Plot of Assassinating his Majesties person and his dearest Brother And a Massacre was to follow wherein they principally designed for slaughter the Officers of State the present Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London and others that had been most eminent for Loyalty Upon which Discovery James Duke of Monmouth the Lord Melvin Sir Jo. Cockrane Sir Thomas Armstrong Robert Ferguson Richard Goodenough Francis Goodenough Richard Rumbold William Rumbold Richard Nelthorp Nathaniel Wade William Tompson James Burton Joseph Elby Samuel Gibbs Francis Charleton Joseph Tyley Casteers and Lobb two Nonconformist-preachers Edward Norton John Row John Ayloff and John Atherton fled from Justice Ford Lord Grey made his escape Arthur Earl of Essex killed himself in the Tower William Lord Russel Thomas Walcot William Hone and John Rous were on their Tryals convicted and executed And it is observable that each of them confessed enough to clear the Justice of the Nation The most that they could plead for themselves was that their Crime could amount onely to misprision of Treason Algernoon Sidney another of the Conspirators was tryed condemned and executed afterward who professed to die for the Old Cause wherein he had been engaged from his youth And indeed he was so far engaged that being named for one of the Royal Martyr's Judges he often appeared at his Tryal And Manus haec inimica Tyrannis was his Motto The Earl of Shaftsbury had been indicted of High-Treason 24 Novemb. 1681. for endeavouring to depose and put to death the King and levy war within the Kingdom he having declared That in a short time the Parliament was to sit at Oxford and that he had inspected the Elections and was satisfied that the Parliament would insist on three matters viz. The Bill of Exclusion against the Duke of York The abolishing the Act of Parliament of the 35 of Queen Elizabeth and a new Bill for uniting Protestant Dissenters which he was confident the King would not consent to and if so that he and other Lords had provided strength to compel him under the command of Captain Wilkinson and John Booth he declared the King to be a man of no faith and there was no trust in him That he deserved to be deposed as well as King Richard the second And the said Earl further declared That 〈◊〉 would not desist till he brought this Kingdom 〈◊〉 a Commonwealth as Holland was That the King was a man of an unfaithful heart not fâ—â— to rule and govern being false unjust and crueâ— to his people and if he would not be governed they would depose him Though the Witnesseâ— swore positively to the particulars yet there was such a Jury provided as brought in an Ignoramus Sir Sam. Bernardiston being their Foreman who hath since been found guilty of Misdemeanors of a high nature During the late seditious Stirs and Tumults none was more active than one Stephen Colledge a Joyner of London a pragmatical person that pleased himself with the title of The Protestant Joyner he had been busie for a long time sowing Sedition and talking Treason so openly that his Friends advised him to forbear lest he came to the Gallows He made it his business to serve some dissenting Lords boasting of his acquaintance with the Earl of Shaftsbury Lords Gray Howard Clare Huntington Pagit Lovelace c. He had fitted his Raree Show and scandalous Songs and Pictures reflecting on the Royal Family The sole pretence for his treasonable actions was his zeal against Papists who he said had feigned seventeen or eighteen Sham-plots against the Protestants he affirmed that London was to be seized by the Papists and that they had a designe against the Parliament at Oxford and therefore he with some others whom he had perswaded came well armed thither Divers Ribbons were provided as a mark of distinction bearing this Motto NO POPERY NO SLAVERY one of which he gave to Turbervil and it was proved as the Lord Chief Justice said at the close of the Tryal whom he called Papists The King was a Papist the Bishops and the Church of England were Papists He was indicted for High-Treason the 17 and 18 of August 1681 it being proved that he said That nothing of good was to be expected from the King That he minded nothing but beastliness and the destruction of the people That he endeavoured to establish Arbitrary Government and Popery Dugdale Smith and Turbervil who had been Witnesses against the Lord Stafford were of the Evidence against him though there were enough if these had been laid aside to have proved him guilty Mr. Masters testified against him p. 31. That he said The Parliament in 1640. was as good a Parliament as ever was chosen To which Mr. Masters answered I wonder how you have the impudence to justifie their proceedings that raised the Rebellion against the King and cut off his head To which Colledge replied They did nothing but what they had just cause for and the Parliament at Westminster was of their Opinion p. 31. And being demanded what he had to say against this testimony he answers That Mr. Masters had said nothing material and that it was but a jocose discourse p. 39. To which Mr. Justice Jones replied Do you make mirth of the blackest Tragedy that ever was that horrid Rebellion and the murther of the late King Colledge answered I never justified that Parliament in any thing that they did contrary to Law One Mr. Jennings who was another Witness testified that on the bleeding of Colledge's Nose he said It was the first bloud that he lost in the Cause but it will not be long ere more be lost He saw him sell the Ribbons with NO POPERY NO SLAVERY to a Parliament-man as he supposed who tyed it on his Sword c. p. 32. It is observed in the Tryal that there was not one Papist that gave evidence against him and that they were such of whom Colledge had formerly given a good Character though now the case was altered The Jury were so well satisfied with the Evidence that they quickly agreed and brought him in guilty and so he was condemned and executed at Oxford on Wednesday 31 of August 1681. Captain Tho. Walcot was indicted for High-Treason at the Old-Baily July 12 c. 1683. for endeavouring to move and stir up War and Rebellion against the King to deprive the King of his Crown and to put him to death for which he conspired with divers other Traytors and had several meetings and consults to those ends and provided Blunderbusses Carbines and Pistols c. Which being proved by Col. Rumsey Mr. Keeling Mr. Bourne Mr. West and Captain Richardson he was found guilty sentenced and executed Then was William Hone arraigned on the like Indictment the Evidence against him were Mr. Keeling Mr. West Sir Nicholas Butler and Capt. Richardson upon whose testimonies he was found guilty and executed also July 13. the Lord Russel was tryed for
endeavouring to raise a Rebellion to seize and destroy the Kings Guards to deprive the King and put him to death The Attorney-General urged That the Duke of Monmouth the Lord Gray Sir Tho. Armstrong Mr. Ferguson and this Lord with the Earl of Essex then dead were of a Council for a general Rising to which end they received several Messages from the Earl of Shaftsbury who being disappointed by Mr. Trenchard who had promised to raise a thousand Foot and two or three hundred Horse he and Ferguson left the Kingdom The Witnesses were Col. Rumsey Mr. Shepherd and the Lord Howard on whose evidence he was found guilty and sentenced to die and accordingly he was beheaded in Lincolns-Inne-Fields July 21. 1683. The next was the Tryal of Mr. Rous against whom Mr. Leigh Mr. Lee Mr. Corbin Mr. Richardson gave such evidence that he was presently found guilty and received sentence to die and was executed accordingly Captain Blague being indicted for conspiring to seize the Tower of London received his Tryal but was acquitted Algernon Sidney was tryed at the Kings-Bench-Bar on the 7th 21th and 27th of November 1683. His Indictment was almost the same as the former onely there was added to it his sending of Aaron Smith into Scotland to excite and stir up the Subjects to a Rebellion there and his being the Author of a traiterous Libel containing among other seditious discourses these words viz. The power originally in the People of England is delegated unto the Parliament He the most serene Lord Charles the Second now King of England meaning is subject unto the Law of God as he is a man to the People that makes him a King inasmuch as he is a King the Law sets a measure unto that Subjection and the Parliament judges of particular cases thereupon arising He must be content to submit his interest to theirs since he is no more than any one of them in any other respect than that he is by the consent of all raised above any other If he doth not like this condition he may renounce the Crown but if he receive it upon that condition as all Magistrates do the power they receive and swear to perform it he must expect that the performance will be exacted or revenge taken by those that he hath betrayed And in other places these traiterous Sentences are contained viz. We may therefore change or take away Kings without breaking any Yoke or that is made a Yoke which is not one the injury is therefore in making and imposing and there can be none in breaking it c. In p. 23 24 25 26. many other things were read at the Tryal out of that Libel particularly p. 26. where speaking of a King he says When the matter is brought to that that he must not reign or the People over whom he would reign must perish it is easily decided As if the Question had been asked in the time of Nero or Domitian whether they should be left at liberty to destroy the best part of the world as they endeavoured to do or it should be rescued by their destruction And as for the Peoples being Judges in their own case it is plain they ought to be the onely Judges because it is their own and onely concerns themselves The Attorney-General p. 13. says The whole Book is an Argument for the People to rise in Arms and vindicate their Wrongs He i. e. Sidney lays it down That the King hath no authority to dissolve the Parliament but 't is apparent the King hath dissolved many therefore he hath broken his Trust and invaded our Rights And concludes We may therefore shake off the Yoke for 't is not a Yoke we submitted to but a Yoke by Tyranny that is the meaning of it imposed on us The Witnesses who swore to the Indictment were Mr. West Col. Rumsey Mr. Keeling the Lord Howard Sir Andrew Foster Mr. Atterbury Sir Philip Lloyd Mr. Shepherd Mr. Cary and Mr. Cooke upon whose evidence the Jury found him guilty of High-Treason and accordingly sentence was pronounced against him and he was executed on Tower-hill Decemb. 7. 1683. I shall adde onely a few Remarks on the dying Speeches and Confession of these men and first of Col. Sidney He had no other Apology for himself but that he had been engaged from his youth in that Old Cause for which he prayed in these words Defend thine own Cause and defend these that defend it stir up such as are faint direct those that are willing confirm those that waver give wisdom and integrity unto all Grant that I may die glorifying thee for all thy mercies and that at the last thou hast permitted me to be singled out as a Witness of thy Truth and even by the confession of my Opposers for that Old Cause in which I was from my youth engaged and for which thou hast often and wonderfully declared thy self Now the Old Cause wherein Col. Sidney was engaged was the destruction of the Church and the Royal Martyr to set up a Commonwealth in which he acted as a Colonel and one of the Judges of the Royal Martyr yet he calls these Treasons Gods Truth In what Religion this Gentleman died God onely knows for he made no profession at all whether Presbyterian Independent Anabaptist or Quaker but a Protestant at large as any of those Factions term themselves As to the Lord Russel he was also unhappily engaged in the same OLD CAVSE from his youth as may appear by the following Relation Mr. Johnson the Author of the Life of Julian confirmed him in his riper years in those opinions which * This Lewis was a stickling Presbyterian that had gotten the Sequestration of Totnam-high-cross from Mr. Wimpew a loyal Minister of the Church of England To this Lewis many Noblemen and Gentlemen sent their Sons for Education among whom was the late Lord Russel And to divert his Scholars he composed a Farce wherein the young Gentlemen were to be Actors The Farce had all the Formalities of a High Court of Justice President Sollicitor Witnesses c. The Criminal was an old Shock Water-Dog which he called Charles Stuart This Dog was arraigned tryed condemned and executed by cutting off his head By which action he instilled the Principles of Ring-killing into his Scholars as if the murdering of a King were no more than the cutting off a Dogs neck Mr. Lewis and Dr. Manton had educated him For Mr. Johnson having written that Traiterous Book to defend the mischievous Doctrine of Resistance this unhappy man could not be extricated from that snare to his death And it was long before his acquaintance with this Seditious Author that Dr. Manton a great Abettor of the first War and a Favourite of Cromwel had instilled the same Principles into him For in his Comment on St. James 4.1 he proposeth this Question Whether Religion may be defended by Arms To which he answers That sometime the outward exercise of Religion and
Johnson for fear of being knockt on the head he desires the Knights directions in the management He says Mr. Braddon has been at great charge and trouble already and he knows few that would have undertaken it but himself And all this pains was taken to insinuate to the people that because the King and Duke were that morning walking in the Tower about the time this Murder was done therefore they designed it How base how devilish and hellish a designe is this as my Lord Chief Justice justly exclaims After a long and fair Tryal they were found guilty but continued under Bail till next Term when on April 21. Braddon was Fined 2000 l. and to find Sureties for good behaviour during life and be imprisoned till performed and Speke as being not so guilty being onely concern'd in the Letter 1000 l. with Sureties also for good behaviour during life and imprisonment till performed Among the rest of the late Conspirators was one James Holloway a forward busie young man Inhabitant of Bristol who having been acquainted with all the Methods and attended on all the motions of the Designe without effect blessed be God till its discovery then sensible of his guilt and danger thought it time to consult his own safety and leaving London in a disguise he ranged several parts of England as a dealer in Wool till he could find an opportunity to take shipping which having obtained he set sail and after some loss of time by stress of Weather he made Antegua in the West-Indies resolving to visit the rest of the Caribby Islands also and so to St. Christophers which he judging to be the safest place sent thence to his Factor at Nevis about some concerns he had there which Factor discovered him whereupon Sir William Stapleton sent to St. Christophers to apprehend him and thence brought him to Nevis where he was prisoner thirteen days and then sent for England where being come he was examined before the King in Council and committed to Newgate till Easter-Term 1684. he was brought to the Kings Bench-Bar to shew cause why he should not suffer death he having been Outlawed for High-Treason in his absence He told the Court he had nothing to say having told all he knew to his Majesty from whom he hoped mercy The Court told him they had nothing to do with the Kings mercy but they had leave to let him take a Tryal notwithstanding the Outlawry whereby he might have opportunity to make his defence if he had any thing to say for himself But he declaring that he had nothing more to say a day was set by the Court for his execution as is usual in Outlawries which was done at Tyburn on the 30th of April 1684. He had liberty to speak there what he pleased and held a long Dialogue with the Sheriffs delivering them a Paper which he acknowledged to be his own writing which is a kind of Epitome of what he had before deliver'd to Mr. Secretary Jenkins And so after a short Prayer he was hang'd drawn and quarter'd and his Quarters brought back to Newgate and sent thence to Bristol which should have been the Scene of his activity in this cursed Tragedy He says in his Paper delivered to the Secretary that asking one Tyly of Bristol What News July 1681 he told him All naught and if some speedy course be not taken we shall be all undone for they have got Sheriffs to their minds naming North and Rich who will find Jurors to believe any evidence against a Protestant and so hang up all the Kings friends by degrees He told him also that all the Protestant Gentry naming the Earl of Shaftsbury Lord Howard of Escrick and others were come to a resolution seeing fair means would not do but all things on the Protestant side are misrepresented to the King by such great Criminals and none more in favour than those to take the King from his evil Counsel and that by an Insurrection in London Bristol Taunton Exeter Chester Newcastle York and other places in the North and that there would be a considerable party in Scotland and another in Ireland Mr. West told him there was a designe to take off the King and the Duke coming from Newmarket to prevent bloudshed Holloway dislikes that saying the designe was onely to take the King from his evil Counsel He calls it a PROTESTANT PLOT He saith to the Sheriff I hope it will be a satisfaction that there was a Plot. Again I pray God that no other people may concern themselves with Publick affairs out of their own way and that the Scriblers might be put down for they do more to the Kingdom than any thing else Which was both the beginning and end of his discourse with the Sheriffs And he begins his Paper left with the Sheriffs with exclaiming against Pamphleteers and News-Scriblers And afterwards And did by some Scriblers and News-mongers constantly know most publick affairs which they undertook to represent according to their own humour He declares his hearty sorrow for yielding thereto or acting therein being satisfied it might have caused very much bloudshed in the Nation He concludes I repent not my Confession and could I discover more would do it throughly though I find not mercy with man On Thursday Feb. 14. 1684. Sir Samuel Bernardiston was Tryed and Convicted for High Misdemeanour at the Sessions of Nisi Prius holden at Guild-hall London It was upon an Information exhibited by the Attorney-General wherein is set forth That there having been lately a horrid Plot discovered Sir Samuel Bernardiston intending to scandalize the Evidence wrote a Letter containing these Sentences The return of the Duke of Monmouth to White-hall and his being received into extraordinary Favour of his Majesty hath made a strange alteration of affairs at Court for those that before spake of him very indecently now court cringe and creep to him His Grace complained to the King of the scandalous misrepresentation that was made of him in the Mondays Gazette upon which the Gazetter was called to account for it who alleadged for himself that a Person of great Quality sent him in writing the words therein recited commanding him to put them in the Gazette Testerday being the last day of the Term all the Prisoners that were in the Tower upon the late Sham Protestant Plot were discharged upon Bail Mr. Braddon who prosecuted the Murder of the Earl of Essex the Information put in against him in the Kings-Bench by Mr. Attorney for a pretended Subornation c. was not prosecuted and his Bail was discharged And the passing Sentence upon the Author of Julian the Apostate and the Printer of the late Lord Russel's Speech was passed over with silence Great applications are made to his Majesty for the pardoning Mr. Sidney in the Tower which is believed will be attained and that he will be banished The Lord Howard appears despicable in the eyes of all men he is under guard at White-hall and
accused our Church and Government of Popery for retaining those innocent and indifferent things agreeable to the primitive practice to make a publick declaration of their abhorrence of Romish principles and practices such as I have already charged them withal To which I may adde their claiming of a Supremacy above Princes and Parliaments in matters Ecclesiastical and divers other things which are the most pernicious and Antichristian Doctrines and Practices of that Church which have drawn the greatest reproach and odium on the Reformation And if they would heartily perform this duty I doubt not but they would see a necessity of returning to the Communion of the Church as it is now established and to assist her in her conflicts against the Church of Rome than which there is no means more probable to keep out that Popery against which they pretend so great an aversion And to induce them hereunto I shall recommend to their serious consideration how far the Principles and Practices of the Jesuits under the name of Doleman and of the old Regicides under that of Bradshaw and our new Conspirators under the Notions of Sidney do agree as it is fitted to my hand in this Parallel THE PARALLEL 1. DOLEMAN THere can be no doubt but that the Commonwealth hath power to chuse their own fashion of Government as also to change the same upon reasonable Causes In like manner is it evident that as the Commonwealth hath this Authority to chuse and change her Government so hath she also to limit the same with what Laws and Conditions she pleaseth Conference about Succession part 1. cap. 1. pag 12 13. All Law both Natural National and Positive doth teach us That Princes are subject to Law and Order and that the Common-wealth which gave them their Authority for the common good of all may also restrain or take the same away again if they abuse it to the common evil The whole Body though it be governed by the Prince as by the Head yet is it not Inferiour but Superiour to the Prince Neither so giveth the Commonwealth her Authority and Power up to any Prince that she depriveth her self utterly of the same when need shall require to use it for her defence for which she gave it Part 1. cap. 4. pag. 72. And finally the Power and Authority which the Prince hath from the Common-wealth is in very truth not Absolute but Potestas vicaria delegata i. e. a Power Delegate or Power by Commission from the Commonwealth which is given with such Restrictions Cautels and Conditions yea with such plain Exceptions Promises and Oaths of both Parties I mean between the King and Commonwealth at the day of his Admission oâ— Coronation as if the same be not kept but wilfully broken on either Part then is the other not bound to observe his Promise neither though never so solemnly made or sworâ—â— Part 1. cap. 4. p. 73. By this then you see the ground whereon dependeth the righteous and lawful Deposition and Chastisement of wicked Princes viz. Their failing in their Oath and Promises which they made at their first entrance Then is the Commonwealth not onely free from all Oaths made by her of Obedience or Allegiance to such unworthy Princes but is bound moreover for saving the whole Body to resist chasten or remove such evil Heads if she be able for that otherwise all would come to Destruction Ruine and publick Desolation Part 1. cap. 4. p. 77 78. 2. BRADSHAW THe People of England as they are those that at the first as other Countries have done did chuse to themselves this Form of Government even for Justice sake that Justice might be administred that Peace might be preserved so Sir they gave Laws to their Governours according to which they should govern and if those Laws should have prov'd inconvenient or prejudicial to the Publick they had a Power in them and reserved to themselves to alter as they shall see cause Kings Tryal p. 64. CHARLES STUART King of England The Commons of England assembled in Parliament according to the fundamental Power that rests in themselves have resolved to bring you to Tryal and Judgment p. 29. If so be the King will go contrary to the end of his Government Sir he must understand that he is but an Officer of Trust and he ought to discharge that Trust and they are to take order for the Animadversion and Punishment of such an Offending Governour p. 65. Sir Parliaments were ordained for that purpose to redress the Grievances of the People And then Sir the Scripture says They that know their Masters will and do it not what follows The Law is your Master the Acts of Parliament p. 66 67. This we know to be Law Rex habet superiorem Deum Legem etiam Curiam and so says the same Author and truly Sir he makes bold to go a little further Debent ei ponere fraenum They ought to bridle him p. 65. That the said Charles Stuart being admitted King of England and therein trusted with a limited Power Vid. Char. p. 30. The House of Commons the Supream Authority and Jurisdiction of the Kingdom p. 48. Which Authority requires you in the name of the People of England of which you are elected King to answer them p. 36. Sir you may not demur the Jurisdiction of the Court they sit here by the Authority of the Commons of England and all your Predecessors and you are responsible to them p. 44. For there is a Contract and Bargain between the King and his People and your Oath is taken and certainly Sir the Bond is reciprocal Sir if this Bond be once broken farewel Soveraignty p. 72. Sir though you have it by Inheritance in the way that is spoken of yet it must not be denied that your Office was an Office of Trust Now Sir if it be an Office of Inheritance as you speak of your Title by Descent let all men know that great Offices are seizable and forfeitable as if you had it but for a year and for your Life p. 73. And Sir the People of England cannot be so far wanting to themselves which God having dealt so miraculously and gloriously for they having Power in their hands and their Great Enemy they must proceed to do Justice to themselves and to You. p. 75. 3. SIDNEY And other of The True Protestant Party GOd hath left Nations unto the liberty of setting up such Governments as best pleased themselves The Right and Power of Magistrates in every Country was that which the Laws of that Country made it to be Sidn Pap. p. 2. St. Peter 1 Pet. 2.13 14. stiles Kings as well as the Governours under him the Ordinance of Man which cannot have any other sence but that Men make them and give them their Power Hunt's Postsc p. 37. By all which it is evident That the Succession to the Crown is the Peoples Right And though the Succession to the Crown is Hereditary because