the House of Commons Voted That the Clergy in a Synod or Convocation have no Power to make Canons or Laws without Parliaments and that the Canons are against the Fundamental Laws of this Realm the King's Prerogative and the Property of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and tend to Faction and Sedition In pursuance hereof a Charge was ordered to be drawn up against Arch-Bishop Laud as the Principal Framer of those Canons and other Delinquencies which Impeachment was Seconded by another from the Scotch Commissioners Upon which he was Committed to the Black-Rod and Ten Weeks after Voted Guilty of High-Treason and sent to the Tower The Scots likewise preferred a Charge against the Earl of Strafford then in Custody requiring Justice against them both as the great Incendiaries and Disturbers both of Church and State The Lord-Keeper Finch was the next Person designed to be Censured and notwithstanding a Speech made in his own Vindication He was Voted a Traytor upon several Accounts But he fore-saw the Storm and went over into Holland Upon Monday March 26. 1640 the Earl of Strafford's Tryal began in Westminster-Hall the King Queen and Prince being present and the Commons being there likewise as a Committee at the managing their Accusation The Earl of Strafford though he had but short Warning yet made a Noble Defence The Accusation was managed by Mr. Pym consisting of Twenty eight Articles to most of which the Earl made particular Replies But the Commons were resolved to Prosecute him to Death and had therefore not only procured the Parliament of Ireland to Prosecute him there as Guilty of High-Treason but resolved to proceed against him by Bill of Attainder which they proceeded to dispatch And April 19. 1641. they Voted the Earl Guilty of High-Treason upon the Evidence of Secretary Vane and his Notes And upon the 25th they passed the Bill and sent it to the Lords for their Concurrence who a few Days after likewise agreed to it The Bill being finished and the K. fearing the Conclusion and being willing to do some good Office to the Earl His Majesty May 1. 1641 Calls both Honses together and in a Speech tells them That he had been present at the Hearing that great Cause and that in his Conscience possitively he could not Condemn him of High-Treason and yet could not clear him of Misdemeanours but hoped a way might be found out to Satisfie Justice and their Fears without oppressing his Conscience And so dismissed them to their great Discontent Which was propogated so far that May 3. were One thousand Citizens most of them Armed came thronging down to Westminster crying out for Justice against the Earl of Strafford The Commons had now finished a Bill for the Continuance of the Parliament which having passed the Lords was tendred to the King to be Signed together with the Bill for the Attainder of the E. of Strafford His Majesty Answered That on Monday following He would Satisfie them and on the Sunday the King spent the whole Day with the Judges and Bishops in Consulting The Judges told him That in Point of Law according to the Oath made by Sir Henry Vane he was Guilty of Treason The Bishops all agreed That the King might shew Mercy without Scruple and that he could not Condemn the Earl if he did not think him Guilty This was to matter of Fact but as to matter of Law He was to rest in the Opinion of the Judges Monday May 10. the King gives Commission to several Lords to Pass two Bills One The Bill of Attainder against the Earl of Strafford The Other Fâ—r continuing the Parliament during the pleasure of both Houses Which last Act was occasioned for Satisfying the Scots The next Day the King being troubled about the Earl writes a Letter to the House of Lords telling them That whereas Justice had been satisfied in his Condemnation an intermixture of Mercy would not now be unseasonable and therefore He desired them that if it might be done without any Discontent to the People the Earl might be permitted to fulfil the Natural Course of his Life in close Imprisonment Sequestred from all Publick Affairs provided he never attempted to make an Escape However He thought it a Work of Charity to Reprieve him till Saturday But nothing could be Obtained in Favour of him The Fall of this Powerful Man so startled other great Officers of State that several Resigned their Places July 5. A Charge was brought into the House of Commons against Dr. Wren Bishop of Ely being Accused of Treasonable Misdemeanours in his Diocess August 6. Both the English and Scotch Armies were Disbanded and Four Days after the King went towards Scotland and was Entertained with great Demonstrations of Affection by that Nation and Conferred several Places of Honour and Power upon divers of them He Confirmed likewise the Treaty between the Two Nations by Act of Parliament October 23 1641. A Horrid and Notorious Rebellion broke out in Ireland which was in divers Places managed with such Secresie that it was not Discovered at Dublin till the Night before it was to be put in Execution but in most other Places of the Kingdom it was carried on with such Fury That two hundred thousand English Men Women and Children were in a short Space barbarously Murdered The Irish to Dishearten the English from any Resistance bragged That the Queen was with their Army That the King would come amongst them also and Assist them That they did but maintain His Cause against the Puritans That they had the King's Com-Commission for what they did The Lords Justices sent Sir H. Spotswood to the King then in Scotland with an Account of all that happened He dispatched Sir J. Stuart with Instructions to the Lords of the Privy-Council in Ireland and to carry all the Money his present Stores would supply He likewise sent an Express to the Parliament of England as being near for their Assistance but they excused it And indeed the Irish pretended that the Scots were in Confederacy with them and to seem to Confirm it they abstained for some time from destroying the Estates or Murdering any of that Nation And on the other-side to Encourage the Irish they produced pretended Letters wherein they said They were Informed from England That the Parliament had passed an Act that all the Irish should be Compelled to the Protestant Worship and for the First Offence in refusing to Forfeit all their Goods for the Second their Estates and for the Third their Lives And besides this they presented them with the Hopes of Liberty That the English Yoak should be shaken off That they should have a King of their own Nation and that then all the Goods and Estates of the English should be divided amongst them With these Motives of Spoil and Liberty which were strengthned by the Former of Religion the Rebellion was carried on throughout the whole Kingdom The King being returned out of Scotland December 2d Summoned both Houses
c. yet he did beggar Himself and the Nation in general But they that lived at Court and were curious Observers of every Mans Actions could have then affirmed That Salisbury Suffolk and Northampton and their Friends did get more than the whole Nation of Scotland Dunbar excepted for what-ever others got they spent here only Dunbar laid a Foundation of a great Family To take off the Subjects Eyes from observing the Indulgency used by K. James in behalf of the Papists whom though he had no cause to Love he thought he found reason enough to Fear a Quarrel was revived now almost asleep because it had long escaped Persecution the Bellows of Schisme with a People stiled Puritans who meeting no nearer a definition than the Name all the conscientious Men in the Nation shared the Contempt neither was any charged with it though in the best relation thought competent for Preserment in Church or State which made the Bad glory in their Impiety Court-Sermons were fraught with bitter Invectives against these People whom they seated in a Class far nearer the Confines of Hell than Papists And to avoid the very Imputation of Puritanism a greater rub in the way of Preferment than Vice our Divines for the generality did Sacrifice more time to Bacchus than Minerva and for their ordinary Studies they were School Points and Passionate Expressions as more conversant with the F than the Fathers scoffing in their ordinary Discourse at Luther and Calvin but especially at the last so as a certain Bishop thank'd God he never though a good Poet himself had read a Line in him or Chaucer The same used this simile at Court That our Religion like the Kings-Arms stood between Two Beasts the Puritans and Papists Nor did the Extravagancy of many of the Episcopal Clergy add a little to the Rent much augmented by the Scotish Propensity to Presbytery nor did the often and sudden Translation of Bishops from less to greater Sees give time to visit sufficiently their respective Charges being more intent upon the Receipt of such Taxes as a long abused custom had estated them in than upon Reformation The Court-Sermons informing His Majesty He might as Christ's Vicegerent command all and that the People if they denied him Supplement or enquired after the disposure of it were Presumptuous Peepers into the Sacred Ark of the State not to be done but under the severest Curse though it appeared likely to fall thro' the falshood or folly of those at the Helm But on the contrary other qualified Preachers did fulminate against Non-Residency Profanation of the Lords-Day Connivance at Popery Persecution of God's People c. Now by this time the Nation grew Feeble and over-opprest with Impositions Monopolies Aids Privy-Seals Concealments Pretermitted Customs c. besides all Forfeitures upon Penal Statutes with a multitude of more Tricks to cheat the Subject the most if not all unheard of in Q. Elizabeth's days all spent on Favorites and other Fooleries True it is all Kings cast-away Money the Day of their Enthronement but King James did it all his Life In this place my Memory presents me with Sir Robert Cecil after Earl of Salisbury famed for a grand Seducer of the King by perswading him This Nation was so Rich it could neither be Exhausted nor Provoked a Saying generally laid to his Charge yet contradicted in this Practice of his for the Earl of Somerset being in the flower of his Favour had got a peremptory Warrant to the Treasurer for 20000 l. who in this his Executive Prudence finding that not only the Exchecquer but the Indies themselves would in time want Fluency to feed so immense a Prodigality and not without reason apprehending the King as Ignorant in the value of what was demanded as the desert of the Person that begged it and knowing a Pound upon the Scotch Account would not pay for the Shooing of an Horse he layed the fore-mentioned Sum upon the ground in a Room through which the King was to pass who amazed at the quantity asked the Treasurer whose Money it was who answered Yours before your Majesty gave it away whereupon the King fell into a Passion protesting he was abused and never intended any such Gift and casting himself upon the heap scrabled out the quantity oâ— Two or Three Hundred Pounds anâ— â—wore he should have no more The palpable Partiality that descended from the Father to the Scots did estate the whole Love of the English on his Son Henry whom they engaged by so much Expectation as it may be doubted whether it ever lay â—n the Power of any Prince meerly Human to bring so much Felicity inâ—o a Nation as they did all his Life promise to themselves at the Death of King James The Government of the Princes House was with much Discreâ—ion Modesty Sobriety and which was looked upon as too great an upâ—raiding the contrary Proceedings of his Father in an high reverence to Piety not Swearing himself or keeping any that did through which he came to be advanced beyond an ordinary measure in the Affections of the City to whom he was not only Plauâ—ible in his Carriage but Just in Payments so far as his Credit out-reached â—he Kings both in the Exchange and the Church in which the Son could not take so much Felicity as the Father did Discontent to find all the Worth he imagined in himself wholly lost in the hopes the People had of this Young Gentleman From whence Kings may be concluded far more unhappy than ordinary Men for tho' whil'st Children are Young they may afford them safety yet when arrived at that Age which useth to bring Comfort to other Parents they produce only Jealousies and Fears And if common Fame did not outstrip Truth King James was by Fear led into great Extreams finding his Son Henry not only averse to any Popish Match but saluted by the Puritans as one prefigured in the Apocalyps for Rome's Destruction insinuating as if the Prince was not kindly dealt withal at his Death but it is so common with Report to rate the Sickness or Death of Princes at the price of Poyson as I should quite have omitted this conjecture or left it wholly to the decision of the great Tribunal was it not certain that his Father did dread him and that the King though he would not deny him any thing he plainly desired yet it appeared rather the result of Fear and outward Complyance than Love and Natural Affection being harder drawn to confer an Honour or Pardon in cases of Desert upon a Retainer to the Prince than a Stranger From whence might be calculated a Malignity conceived in his Heart against the Splendor of his Sons Retinue One day he was called to a remarkable Observation of his Sons Grandeur by Archee his Jester on the Plains about New-Market when He and the Prince parted few being left with the Father and those mean Persons which drew Tears from him One Reason King James was so poorly followed
Man tho' not the sole Favorite My Lord seemed averse Sir Humphry then told him in plain terms That he was sent by the King to advise it and that Villers would come to him to cast himself into his Protection to take his Rise under the shaddow of his Wings Sir Humphry May was not parted from my Lord half an hour but in comes Sir George Villers and used these very words My Lord I desire to be your Servant and your Creature and shall desire to take my Court-Preferment under your Favour and your Lordship shall find me as faithful a Servant unto you as ever did Serve you My Lord returned this quick and short Answer I will none of your Service nor you shall none of my Favour I will if I can break your Neck and of that be confident This was but a harsh Complement and favoured more of Spirit than Wisdom and since that time breaking each others Necks was their aims And it is verily believed had Somerset complyed with Villers Overbury's Death had still lain reaked up in his own Ashes but God who will never suffer Murther to go unpunished will have what He will maugre all the Wisdom of the World To Windsor doth the King return to end his Progress from thence to Hampton-Court then to White-Hall and shortly after to Royston to begin his Winter-Journey And now begins the Game to be plaid in which Somerset must be the Loser the Cards being shuffled cut and dealt between the King and Sir Edward Coke Chief Justice whose Daughter Purbeck Villers had Married and therefore a fit Instrument to ruine Somerset and Secretary Wynwood These all play'd the Stake Somerset's Life and his Ladie 's their Fortunes and the Family of Suffolk some of them played Booty and in truth the Game was not played above-board The Day the King went from White-Hall to Theobalds and so to Royston He sent for all the Judges his Lords and Servants encircling him where kneeling down in the midst he used these Words My Lords the Judges It is lately come to my hearing that you have now in examination a business of Poysoning Lord in what a most miserable Condition shall this Kingdom be the only famous Nation for Hospitality in the World if our Tables should become such a Snare as none could eat without danger of Life and the Italian Custom should be introduced among us Therefore my Lords I charge you as you will answer it at the great and dreadful Day of Judgment that you examine it strickly without Favour Affection or Partiality and if you shall spare any guilty of this Crime God's Curse light on you and your Posterity And if I spare any that are found guilty God's Curse light on Me and my Posterity for ever But how this dreadful Thunder-Curse or Imprecation was performed shall be shewed hereafter The King with this took his Farewel for a time of London and was accompanied with Somerset to Royston where no sooner he brought him but instantly took leave little imagining what Viper lay amongst the Herbs Nor must I forget to let you know how perfect the King was in the Art of Dissimulation or to give it his own Phrase King-Craft The Earl of Somerset never parted from him with more seeming Affection than at this time when he knew Somerset should never see him more The Earl when he kissed his Hand the King hang'd about his Neck flabbering his Cheeks saying When shall I see you again On my Soul I shall neither eat nor sleep until youâ— come again The Earl told him on Monday this being on the Friday For God's-sake let me said the King Shall I shall I Then lolled about his Neck Then for God's-sake give thy Lady this Kiss for me In the same manner at the Stairs-head at the middle of the Stairs and at the Stairs-foot the Earl was scarcely in his Coach when the King used these very words in the hearing of four Servants of whom one was Somerset's great Creature and of the Bed-Chamber who reported it afterwards to many about the Court I shall never see his Face more I appeal to the Reader whether this Motto of Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare was not as well performed in this Passage as his Beati Pacifici in the whole course of his Life and his Love to the latter made him be beaten with his own Weapon in the other by all Princes and States that had to do with him But before Somerset's Approach to London his Countess was apprehended at his Arrival himself And the King being that Night at Supper said to Sir Thomas Morson My Lord Chief Justice hath sent for you He asked the King when he should wait on him again who replyed You may come when you can And as in the Story of Byron and many others there have been many foolish Observations as presage so was there in this Gentleman who was the King's Master Faulconer and in truth for his extraordinary Dexterity and Skill no Prince in Christendom ever had the like So that you see the Plot was so well laid as they could be all within the Toil at one instant not knowing of each other Now are in Hold the Earl his Countess Sir Thomas Monson Mistress Turner a very lewd and infamous Woman of life Weston and Franklin with some others of less Note of which one Simon a Servant of Sir Thomas Monson's who was employed in carrying Jelly and Tart to the Tower who upon his Examination for his pleasant Answer was instantly dismissed My Lord told him Simon you have had a hand in this Poysoning Business No my good Lord I had but one Finger in it which almost cost me my Life and at the best cost me all my Hair and Nails for the truth was Simon was somewhat liquorish and finding the Syrrup swim from the top of a Tart as he carried it he did with his Finger skim it off and it was to be believed had he known what it had been he would not have been his Taster at so dear a Rate And now poor Mrs. Turner Weston and Franklin began the Tragedy Mrs. Turner's Day of Mourning being better than the Day of her Birth for she died very penitently and shewed much modesty in her last Act which is to be hoped was accepted of with God after that died Weston then was Franklin Arraigned who confessed that Overbury was smoothered to Death not poysoned to Death though he had Poyson given him In the next place came the Countess to her Tryal at whose Arraignment as also at Mrs. Turner's before were shewed many Pictures poppeâ—â— with some Exrocism and Magiâ—â— Spells which made them appear more odious as being known to converse with Witches and Wizards The next that came on the Stage was Sir Thomas Monson but the Night before he was to come to his Tryal the King being at the Game of Maw said To Morrow comes Tom Monson to his Tryal Yea said the King's Card-holder where if he do
not play his Masters Prize your Majesty shall never trust me This so run in the King's Mind as the next Game he said He was sleepy and would play out that Set the next Night the Gentlemen departed to his Lodging but was no sooner gone but the King sent for him what Communication they had was not known but is most certain next under God that Gentleman saved his Life for the King sent a Post presently to London to let the Lord Chief-Justice know he would see Monson's Examination and Confession to see if it were worthy to touch his Life for so small a matter Monson was too wise to set any thing but fair in his Confession what he would have stabbed with should have been viva voce at his Arraignment The King sent word He saw nothing worthy of Death or of Bonds in his Accusation or Examination And now for the last Act enters Somerset himself on the Stage who being told as â—â—e manner is by the Lieutenant That he must provide to go the next Day to his Tryal did absolutely refuse it and said ' They should carry him in his ' Bed that the King had assured him ' he should not come to any Tryal ' neither durst the King bring him to ' any Tryal This was in an high Strain and in a Language not well understood by George Moore Lieutenant in Elwayes's room that made Moor quiver and shake and however he was accounted a Wise Man yet he was near at his Wits-end Yet away goes Moor to Greenwich as late as it was being Twelve at Night bounceth at the Back-stairs as if Mad to whom came J. Loveston one of the Grooms out of his Bed enquiâ—es the reason of that Disturbance at so late a Season Moor tells him He must speak with the King Loveston replies He is quiet which in the Scotish Dialect is Fast asleep Moor says You must awake him Moor being called in the Chamber left to the King and Moor he tells the King those Passages and desires to be directed by the King for he was gone beyond his own reason to here such bold and undutiful Expressions from a faulty subject against his Soveraign The King falls into a Passion of Tears On my Soul Moor I wot not what to do thou art a Wise-Man help me in this great streight and thou shalt find thou dost it for a thankful Master with other sad Expressions Moor leaves the King in that Passion but assures him he will try the utmost of his Wit to serve his Majesty and was really rewarded with 1500 l. Sir George Moor returns to Somerset about Three the next Morning of that day he was to come to his Tryal enters Somerset's Chamber tells him He had been with the King found him a most affectionate Master unto him and full of Grace in his intentions towards him but said he to satisfie Justice you must Appear although return instantly again without any further proceeding only you shall know your Enemies and their Malice though they shall have no Power over you With this trick of Wit he allayed his Fury and got him quietly about Eight in the Morning to the Hall yet feared his former bold Lauguage might revert again and being brought by this Trick into the Toyl might have more enraged him to fly out into some strange Discovery he had Two Servants placed on each side of him with a Cloak on their Arms giving them a peremptory Order if that Somerset did any way fly out on the King they should instantly Hoodwink him with that Cloak and take him violently from the Bar and carry him away for which he would secure them from any danger and they should not want also a bountiful Reward But the Earl finding himself over-reached recollected a better Temper and went on calmly in his Tryal where he held the Company until Seven at Night But whoever had seen the King's restless motion all that Day sending to every Boat he see Landing at the Bridge Cursing all that came without Tydings would have easily judged all was not right and there had been some grounds for his Fears of Somerset's Boldness But at last one brings him word he was Condemned and the Passages all was quiet This is the very Relation from Moor's own Mouth told to several of undoubted Credit And there were other strong inducements to believe Somerset knew that by him he desired none other should be partaker of and that all was not Peace with him in the Peace-maker himself for he ever Courted Somerset to his Dying-day and gave him 4000l per annum for Fee Farm-Rents after he was Condemned which he took in his Servants Names not his own as then being Condemned not capable of and he then resolved never to have Pardon It is credibly reported he was told by a Wizzard That could he but come to see the King's Face again he should be re-invested in his former dearness This had been no hard Experiment but belike he had too much Religion to trust to Wizzards or else some Friends of his had trusted them anâ— been deceived by them that he had little reason to put confidence in them The King kept correspondence Weekly with him by Letters to his Dying-Day And here we have brought this great Man to his End with his Countess Mrs. Turner Weston Franklin and Elways Died in the Tower and here Died this great Business Weston ever saying It never troubled him tâ— Die with so many Blue-Ribbons And some in those times verily thought more would have Suffered had it not been for an unhappy Expression of Sir Edward Cook the Lord Chief Justice who in a Vain-glorious Speech to shew his vigilancy enters into a Rapture as he sate on the Bench saying God knows what became of that sweet Babe Prince Henry but I know somewhat and surely in searching the Cabinets he lighted on some Papers that spoke plain in that which was ever Whispered which had he gone on in a gentle way would have fal'n in of themselves not to have been prevented but this folly of his Tongue stopt the Breath of the discovery of that so foul a Murther which I fear cries still for Vengeance And now begins the new Favorite to Reign without any controulment now he rises in Honour as well as swells with Pride being broken out of the modest bounds formerly had impailed him to the High-way of Pride and Scorn turning-out and putting-in all he pleased First He gets the Lord-Admiral turned out and himself made Lord High-Admiral Next He procured the Seal to be taken from Egerton Lord-Keeper and procures the Place for Bacon gratis for he neither paid any thing neither was he able For now was there a new Trick to put in Dishonest and Necessitous Men to serve such Turns as Men of plentiful Fortunes and fair Reputations would not accept of And this filled the Church and Common-wealth full of beggarly Fellows such daring to venture or any thing having nothing to lose
together and tells them That he had staid in Scotland longer than He expected yet not fruitlesly for He had given full Satisfaction to the Nation but cannot choose but take Notice of and Wonder at the unexpected Distractions He finds at Home and then Commends to them the State of Ireland After which the Commons Ordered a Select Committee to draw up a Petition and Remonstrance to the King The One was against the Bishops and Oppressions in Church-Government and for Punishing the Authors of it In the Other was Contained all the Miscarriages and Misfortunes since the beginning of His Majesty's Reign The King Issued out a Declaration in Answer to the Remonstrance the Summ of which was That He thought He had given sufficient Satisfaction to his People's Fears and Jealousies concerning Religion Liberties and Civil Interests by the Bills which He hath Passed this Parliament Desiring the Misunderstandings might be removed on either Side and that the Bleeding Condition of Ireland might perswade them to Unity for the Relief of that Unhappy Kingdom Not long after happened the Insolent Tumults of the London Apprentices at White-Hall and Westminster December 28. the King sends a Message to the Lords That He would raise ten Thousand Volunteers for Ireland if the Commons would undertake to Pay them Sometime after the King upon Information that the Lord Kimbolton and Five of the House of Commons viz. Hollis Sir Arthur Haslerig Mr. Pim Mr. Hambden and Mr. Stroud had Correspondence with the Scots and Countenanced the late City-Tumults He thereupon Ordered their Trunks Studies and Chambers to be Sealed up and their Persons Seized the Former of which was done but having timely Notice they went aside Upon which the Commons the same Day Voted high against these Actions of the King Hereupon the King Charges the Lord Kimbolton and the Five Members with several Articles and Acquaints both Houses That He did intend to Prosecute them for High-Treason and required that their Persons might be Secured And the next Day the King Attended with His Guard of Pensioners and some Hundreds of Gentlemen went to the House of Commons and the Guard staying without the King with the Palsgrave entred the House at whose Entrance the Speaker rises out of the Chair and the King sitting down therein views the Houses round and perceives the Birds He aimed at were flown whereupon He tells them That He came to look for those Five Members whom He had Accused of High-Treason and was resolved to have them where-ever He found them and expected to have them sent to Him as soon as they should come to the House but would not have them think that this Act of His was any Violation of Parliament This Act of the King 's was so highly resented by the House that the next day Jan. 5. the Commons Voted it a Breach of Priviledge And Reports were raised in the City That He intended Violence against the House of Commons and came thither with Force to Murther several Members and used threatning Speeches against the Parliament with which the City was so possessed that the Guards and Watches were Set as if some desperate Assault were to be made upon the City And Both Houses Adjourned till the Tuesday following appointing a Committee in the mean time to sit at Guild-Hall to consider of the most effectual Means for their Security And then they Published a Declaration That whosoever shall Arrest any Member of Parliament by Warrant from the King only is guilty of the Breach of Priviledges of Parliament And likewise That all those who Attended the King when He came to Demand the Five Members were guilty of a Traiterous Design against the King and Parliament That the Proclamation for Apprehending and Imprisoning the said Members was False Scandalous and Illegal and not of Validity enough to hinder them from Attending the House Wherefore They intreat His Majesty to discover the Names of those Informers and Evil Councellors declaring all such Persons to be Publick Enemies to the State In the mean time the Londoners came thronging to Westminster with Petitions inveighing Bitterly against some of the Peers but especially the Bishops whom they Affronted as they went to the House Upon which they were so affrighted that Twelve Bishops absent themselves from the House of Lords drawing up a Protestation against all Laws Orders Votes Resolutions and Determinations as in themselves Null and of none Effect which had Passed or should Pass during their forced Absence Presently after which at a Conference between Both Houses it was agreed That this Protestation of the Twelve Bishops did extend to the deep intrenching on the Fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliaments And in a short time they were Accused of High-Treason Seized and brought on their Knees at the Lords-Bar Ten of whom were Committed to the Tower and the other Two in regard of their Age to the Black-Rod The King at this Time thinking Himself unsafe without a Guard accepted of the offer of some Gentlemen of the Inns of Court to be a Guard to Him which instead of Security was by Subtil Men made more prejudicial to the King by taking this occasion to raise the Rage and Jealousie of the City against Him For at Midnight there were cries made in the Streets of London That all the People should rise to their Defence for the King with His Papists were come to Fire the City and Cut their Throats in their Beds The People by often receiving such Alarms being terrified from Sleep the Impressions of those Night-fears lay long upon their Spirits in the Day and filled them almost with Madness of which the King Complained to the Common-Council of London But the Commons to obviate this upon Suspicion of some Design upon their Persons Petition the King for a Guard to be Commanded by the Earl of Essex of whose Fidelity to the King and State no question was ever made This Petition was denied by the King as not willing to have them too strong yet promised to take such Care for their Security from Violence as He would for the Preservation of Himself and Children This Answer being unsatisfactory the City joyns with them and in their Common-Council drew up a Petition complaining That the Trade of the City was decayed to the utter Ruine of the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects by the Design of Papists Foreigners and Domesticks more particularly their fomenting the Irish Rebellion by changing the Constable of the Tower and making Preparation there by the Fortifying of White-Hall and the King 's late Invasion of the House of Commons Whereupon they Pray That by the Parliament's Advice the Protestants in Ireland may be Relieved The Tower to be put into the Hands of Persons of Trust A Guard appointed for the Safety of the Parliament And that the Five Members may not be Restrained nor Proceeded against but by the Priviledges of Parliament To their Petition the King returned Answer That He could not
willing to condescend to all the Proposals about the Militia of the Counties and the Persons mentioned but not of London and other Corporations whose Government in that particular he thought it neither Justice nor Policy to alter but would not consent to divest Himself of the Power of the County Militia for an indesinite Time but for some limited Space This Answer did not satisfie so that the Breach growing every day wider the King declined these Parts and the Parliament and removed to Theobald's taking with Him the Prince and Duke of York About the beginning of March He receives a Petition from the Parliament wherein they require the Militia more resolutely than before affirming That in case of denial the Eminent Dangers would constrain them to dispose of it by the Authority of Parliament desiring also That he would make his Abode near London and the Parliament and continue the Prince at some of his Houses near the City for the better carrying on of Affairs and preventing the Peoples Jealousies and Fears All which being refused They presently Order That the Kingdom be put into a posture of Defence in such a way as was agreed upon by Parliament and a Committee to prepare a publick Declaration from these Heads 1. The Just Causes of the Fears and Jealousies given to the Parliament at the same time clearing themselves from any Jealousies conceived against Himself 2. To Consider of all Matters arising from his Majesty's Message and what was fit to be done And now began our Troubles and all the Miseries of a Civil-War The Parliament every day entertaining new Jealousies and Suspicions of the King's Actions which howsoever in Complement they made shew of imputing only to his Evil Council yet obliquely had too great a Reflection on his Person They now proceed on a suddain to make great Preparations both by Sea and Land And the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England is commanded to Rig the King's Ships and fit them for Sea And likewise all Masters and Owners of Ships were perswaded to do the like The Beacons were prepared Sea-Marks set up and extraordinary Postings up and down with Pacquets All sad Prognosticks of the Calamities ensuing August 22. 1642. The King comes to Nottingham and there Erects His Standard to which some Numbers resorted but far short of what was Expected And three Days after the King sends a Message to the Parliament to propose a Treaty The Messengers were the Earls of Southampton and Dorset Sir John Culpeper and Sir W. Udal None of which were suffered to Set in the House to deliver their Errand therefore it was sent in by the Usher of the Black-Rod to which the Parliament Answered That until His Majesty shall recal His Proclamations and Declarations of Treason against the Earl of Essex and Them and their Adherents And unless the King's Standard now Set up in pursuance thereof be taken down They cannot by the Fundamental Priviledges of Parliament give His Majesty another Answer The King Replies That He never intended to Declare the Parliament Traytors or Set up his Standard against them but if they Resolve to Treat either Party shall Revoke their Declarations against all persons as Traytors and the same Day to take down his Standard To this they Answer That the Difference could not any ways be concluded unless He would forsake his Evil Counsellors and return to his Parliament And accordingly September 6th They Order and Declare That the Armswhich they have or shall take up for the Parliament Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom shall not be laid down until the King withdraw his Protection from such Persons as are or shall be Voted Delinquents and shall leave them to Justice The War being now begun the New-raised Souldiers committed many Outrages upon the Country-people which both King and Parliament upon Complaint endeavour to Rectifie The King Himself was now Generalissimo over his Own His Captain-General was first the Marquess of Hartford and afterwards the Earl of Lindsey and the Earl of Essex for the Parliament The King's Forces received the first Repulse at Hull by Sir John Hotham and Sir John Meldrum and the King takes up his Quarters at Shrewsbury Portsmouth was next Surrendred to the Parliament and presently after Sir John Byron takes Worcester for the King In September the two Princes Palatines Rupert and Maurice Arrived in England who were presently Entertained and put into Command by the King This uncivil Civil-War was carried on in General with all the Ruines and Desolations imaginable wherein all Bonds of Religion Alliance and Friendship were utterly destroyed Wherein Fathers and Children Kindred and Acquaintances became unnatural Enemies to each other In which miserable Condition this Nation continued for near Four Years viz. From August the 22d 1642. the Time the King Set up his Standard at Nottingham to May the 6th 1646. the time when the King quitting all Hopes put Himself into the Protection of the Scotch-Army at Newark During this process of Time several Messages past divers Treaties set on foot and other Overtures of Accommodation but all came to no Effect The War in England being now after so much Blood-shed and Ruine brought to some End the Parliament were at leisure to Dispute with the Scots concerning the Keeping of the King who fearing lest Fairfax should fall upon them and compel them to Deliver Him up Retreated further Northwards towards New-Castle The Parliament sent an Invitation to the Prince of Wales to come to London with promise of Honour and Safety but He did not think fit to venture The King sends from New-castle to the Army about a Treaty and the House of Commons Vote That the King ' s Person should be demanded of the Scots and that their whole Army return home upon Receipt of part of their Arrears the rest to be sent after them And a Committee is appointed to Treat with the Scotch Commissioners about drawing up Propositions to be sent to the King wherein much Time was spent in Wrangling whilst the English deny the Scots to have any Right in the Disposal of the King of England and the Scots as stifly alledged He was their King as much as of the English and they had as good Right to Dispose of the King in England as the English could Challenge in Scotland But at last they agreed on Sixteen General Propositions which were presented to the King at New-castle July the 27. 1646. But these Propositions were such that the King did not think fit to Comply withal The Scots General Assembly sent a Remonstrance to the King Desiring Him to settle Matters in England according to the Covenant c. But all this could not prevail and therefore the Scots who had hitherto so sharply Disputed about the Disposal of the King's Person are Content upon the Receipt of Two hundred thousand Pounds to depart Home and leave the King in the Power of the Parliament who Voted Him to Holmby-House and sent their Commissioners to receive Him from the Scots at Newcastle To whom February the 8th 1646 He was accordingly Delivered and the Scots returned home Feb. the 8th the King sets forward with the Commissioners for Holmby and after a Fortnight came to His Journeys-end being met by the way by General Fairfax and many of his Officers Some Petitions from Essex and other Places are Presented to the Parliament inveighing against the Proceedings of the Army which much vexed the Souldiers who sharply Apologize for themselves And now the Army to the great Terror of the Parliament March towards London and came as far as St. Alban's notwithstanding a Message from Both Houses not to come within Twenty Five Miles of the City which the General excused saying That the Army was come thither before they received the Parliament's Desire And here he obtains a Month's Pay The Parliament Vote That the General be required to deliver the Person of the King to the former Commissioners who were to bring him to Richmond that Propositions of Peace might be speedily Presented to His Majesty and that Collonel Rossiter and his Regiment might Guard His Person The Army being much behind-hand in Arrears Petition the Parliament who upon consideration order them some Money at the present and then drew up Propositions of Peace to be sent to the King at Hampton-Court the same in substance with those offered at New-Castle and had the like effect The business of Episcopacy being always the main Objection which the Parliament were resolved to Abolish and the King preferring That before all other Respects would rather lose All than consent thereunto The Scots Commissioners send a Letter Novemb. 6. 1647. to the Speaker of the House of Commons and require That the KING may be admitted to a Personal Treaty or at least That He should not be carried from Hampton-Court violently but that Commissioners of Both Parliaments may freely pass to and from Him to Treat for the Settlement of the Kingdom After which divers Messages past between the King and the Parliament and several Conferences and Treaties were set on Foot particularly that of Heuderson's but they proving fruitless the Parliament with most of the Officers of the Army that joyned with them brought the KING to Tryal by a Judicature of their own setting-up which proved His Ruine FINIS
THE Secret History OF K. JAMES I. AND K. CHARLES I. Compleating the Reigns OF THE Four last Monarchs By the Author of the Secret History of K. Charles II. and K. James II. Printed in the Year 1690. THE PREFACE THO' we ought not rashly to rake into the Ashes of Princes and expose either their Personal Miscarriages or their Failures in Management of the Government yet no doubt but the making them Publick may sometimes contribute not a little to the General Good This is evident from the Effects of our Secret History of the Two last Monarchs since by it the most wilfully Blind may be convinced how infinitely Happy we are under their present Majesty's Government beyond what we were in the late Reigns which were but a very inconsiderable matter if any thing below the French Tyranny and by setting the unparallel'd Vertues that are so Resplendent in our Gracious Soveraigns in opposition to those Ignominious Vices that reigned in the Other we may with all the reason in the World assure our selves of a lasting Peace and as much Happiness under Them Now as we had Troubles and Confusions under the Former For Their Religion Integrity and Moderation which must always be in conjunction with Princes that are truly Patres Patriae are as Notorious to the World so that Their greatest Enemies cannot deny them as were the Atheism and furious Bigottism of the Two former Reigns Vices much of the same pernicious Consequences to a Kingdom if the latter be not the more dangerous since the greatest Villanies that ever were perpetrated in the World have been Masqued with seeming Zeal for Religion But since there are not a few who tho' they seem to decry the Tyrannies of the Two late Kings yet approve of much the same Actions of the Two that Preceded Them One of whom some Men have Vainly if not Blasphemously compared to the King of Kings I thought it not amiss to Communicate a few Passages of Their Reigns that do not so commonly occur especially since they laid the Foundations of that Tyranny which the Others brought to so great a Perfection As to the former of Them viz. K. James I. it will easily appear from this following History what great steps He made towards Tyranny It is certain That the reason He gave for setting up Episcopacy in Scotland was That He might have so many Friends to rely upon in Parliament i. e. That by them as the Dead-Weight He might the better carry on His Designs there And herein His Politicks did not deceive Him for by their Means He and his Successors found it no hard matter to reduce that Kingdom to as great Slavery as any Europe hath groaned under of late Years How great a Proficient He was in the Art of Dissimulation or King-Craft will be no less apparent I shall only insert one Instance of it Here which I omitted in the History especially because I think it may not be ungrateful to the Reader viz. That after His return from Denmark to Scotland seeming mightily satisfied with the Care the Kirk-Party had taken to preserve the Kingdom in Peace during his Absence He was pleased to express himself thus in a general Assembly That He blest God that He was Born at sike a Time of the Gospel and to be King of sike a Kirk the purest Kirk in the World The Kirk of Geneva says He keep Yeul and Pasch What have they from the Word of God for that And for our Neighbour Kirk of England What is their Service but an ill said Mass in English And concluded with the Solemnest Promises to Maintain Preserve the Kirk when in the mean while He was taking all underhand Methods to Supplant it as He did a few Years after And as to His Successor tho' a Kalender'd Saint yet after all the lying Insinuations of Self-designing and ridden Persons of that Princes singular Religion that very Act of Instituting Plays and Sports on the Lord's-Day is no extraordinary Proof of it Nay it would be as easie to perswade a Person of any Religion to believe that the Alcharon is the Word of God as that a Prince of any Religion could be guilty of so Irreligious an Act as that was But I will not weary the Reader 's Patience with a large Preface since the very Subject of the following History will recommend it self sufficiently to the Perusal of all Lovers of ouâ— English Liberties THE Secret History c. QUEEN Elizabeth of Glorious and Happy Memory Dying the 24th of March 1602 about Three in the Morning to the great grief of all Her loving Subjects in general About Nine in the Morning of the same day was Proclaimed King James by the Name of JAMES the First And now many post into Scotland for to get Preferment by â—urchasing Friends with their Purses Gold and Silver being a precious Commodity in that Climate and would obtain any thing which did â—rocure Suits Honours and Offices â—o any that first came And now all Preparations was made to meet the KING in York that he might in that Northern Metropolis appear like a King of England and take that State on him there which was not known in Scotland There met Him all the Lords of the Council and there did they all make Court to the Scotch-Men that were most in Favour with the King and there did the Scotch Courtiers lay the first Foundation of their English Fortunes the chief of them was Sir George Hewme a kind of Favorite but not such as after appeared with young Faces and smooth Chins but one that for his Wisdom and Gravity had been in some Secret Counsels with his Master which created that dearness between them and the chief of those Secrets was that of Gowry's Conspiracy though that Nation gave little credit to the Story but would speak both slightly and despitefully of it and those the Wisest of that Nation knowing indeed there was no such Conspiracy yet that the World might be still abused they continued to Mock Almighty GOD by a Weekly Commemoration in the Tuesday's Sermon and an Anniversary-Feast as great as it was possible for the Kings Preservation ever on the Fifth of August And I wish the effects of those Sermons in the Father's time were not one cause of God's Anger towards the Son Sir Robert Cecil by the means of Sir George Hewme the Favorite contrary to most Peoples expectations not only gets into the Favour of King James but in such dearness and privacy with the King as if he had been his Faithful Servant for many Years his Friends Wit or Wealth did not raise him so much as some believ'd as the ill Offices done by him to this Nation in discovering the Nature of the People and shewing the King the way how to enhance his Prerogative so above the Laws that he might Enslave the Nation which though it took well then yet it hath been of sad and dangerous consequence in after-times for first he caused great
numbers of Parliament Precedents concerning the Liberties of the Subject to be burnt next raising Two Hundred Thousand Pounds for making Two Hundred Baronets telling the King He should find his English Subjects like Asses on whom he might lay any Burthen but this Statesman died soon after very Miserable coming from Bath and was Buried on the top of a Mole-Hill near Marleborougâ— The principal Managers of the English Affairs were Salisbury Suffolk Northampton Buckhurst Egerton Lord-Keeper Worcester and the Old Admiral For the Scots Sir George Hewme now Earl of Dunbar Secretary Elfeston and the Lord of Kinloss Salisbury had now shaken off all those that were great with him in Queen Elizabeth's days as Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir G. Carew the Lord Grey and the Lord Cobham Now begins Ambassadors to appear from divers Princes the chief was Roney Duke of Sullia from the French King the Constable of Castile from the Spanish King the Count Arremburgh from the Arch-Duke To bring these Ambassadors over were appointed Sir Robert Mansel being Admiral and Sir J. Turner his Vice-Admiral to bring over the French and Spanish Ambassadors in which happened some Dispute The Constable of Castile so plyed his Masters business in which he spared for no cost that he procured a Peace so advantageous for Spain and so disadvantageous for England that It and all Christendome have since both seen and felt the lamentable effects thereof There was not one Courtier of note that tasted not of Spain's Bounty either in Gold or Jewels and among them not any in so large a proportion as the Countess of Suffolk who shared in her Lords Interest that in truth Audley-end that Famouâ— Structure had its Foundation of Spanish-Gold GOD for some secret Intent besâ— known to himself laid the Foundation of this King's Reign with thâ— greatest Plague or Mortality ever before heard of in this Kingdom and some by that judged what his futurâ— Reign would be He was forced bâ— that Contagion to leave the Metropolis and go into a by-corner in Wilt-shire in which time of his Abode there â— kind of Treason broke forth but whaâ— it was as no Man then could tell so it is left with so dark a Comment that Posterity will never understand the Text or remember any such Treason This pretended Plot consisted of Protestants Puritans Papists and Atheists a strange medly you will say to meet in one and the same Treason and keep Counsel which surely they did because they knew not of any The Protestants were the Lord Cobham and George Brook his Brother the one very Learned and Wise the other a most silly Lord The Puritan the Lord Grey of Walton a very hopeful Gentleman The Papists Watson and Clark Priests and Parham a Gentleman The Atheist Sir W. Rawleigh then generally so believed though after brought by Affliction the best School-Mistress to be and so Died a most Religious Gentleman This Sham-Plot was chiefly designed by Salisbury in which he has a double benefit first in riding himself of such as he feared would have been Thorns in his sides secondly by endearing himself to the King by shewing his diligence and vigilancy for his Safety They were all Araigned of Treason at Winchester whither the King sent some secretly to observe all Passages upon whose true and faithful Relations of the Innocency of the Persons Arraigned and slight proof upon which they were Condemned he would not be drawn to Sign any Warrant for the Execution of Rawleigh Cobham and Grey For Rawleigh's defence it was so brave and just as had he not wilfully Cast himself out of very weariness as unwilling to detain the Company any longer no Jury could ever have Cast him Yet Sir W. Rawleigh was Executed many years after for the same Treason as much against all Justice as beyond all Reason and Precedent Yea after he had been a General by the Kings Commission and had by that Power of the Lives of many others utterly against the Civil Law which saith He that hath Power of the Lives of others ought to be Master of his Own But the Spaniard was so Powerful at that time at Court as that Faction could command the Life of any Man that might prove dangerous to their Designs His Death was by him managed with so High Generous and Religious a Resolution as if a Roman had acted a Christian or rather a Christian a Roman During his Imprisonment he was Delivered of that Minerva The History of the World Now did the great Mannagers of the State of which Salisbury was Chief after they had Packed the Cards begin to deal the Government of the Kingdom among themselves yet for all their setting their Cards and playing their Games to their own advantages there was one Knave in the Pack would couzen their designs and Trump in their way if he might not share with them in their winning and that was one Lake a Clerk of the Signet afterwards made Secretary and after that turned out in disgrace This Lake was a fellow of mean Birth and meaner Breeding being an under Servant to make Fires in Secretary Walsingham's Chamber and there got some experience which afterwards in this King's Time made him appear an able Man which in Q. Eliz. Time when there was none in Court but Men of Eminency made him an inconsiderable Fellow This Lake had linked himself with the Scotch Nation helping them per fas aut nefas to fill their Purses c. For his good Service of abusing his Country and Countrymen he was made Clerk of the Signet to wait on the King in his Hunting Journies and in these Journies got all the Bills Signed even for the greatest Lords all Packets being addressed to him so that Salisbury and Northampton and the greatest Lords made Court to him By this means did he raise himself from a mean to a great Fortune but much over-awed by his Wife which after proved his overthrow besides he would tell Tales and let the King know the passages at Court and great Men as who was Salisbury's Mistress and who governed all who governed Northampton and discovered the Bawdery which did infinitely please the King's Humour and in truth had so much Craft as he served his turn upon all but was Ingrossed by none but by the Bed-Chamber who stuck so close to him that they could not yet remove him And now do the English Faction seeing they could not sever the Scots from him endeavour to raise a Mutiny against the Scots that were his Supporters their Agents divulging every where The Scots would get all and would Beggar the Kingdom The Scots on the other side complain to the King they were so poor they under-went the by-word of Beggarly-Scots To which the King returned this Answer Content your selves I will shortly make the English as Beggarly as you and so ended that Controversie This is as true as he truly performed it for however he enriched many in particular as Salisbury Suffolk Northampton Worcester Lake
especially in his Journies was his Partiality used towards the Scots which hung like Horse-leeches on him till they could get no more falling then off by retiring into their own Country or living at ease leaving all chargable attendance to the English The Harvest of the Love and Honour he reaped being suitable to the ill Husbandry he used in the unadvised distribution of his Favours for of a number of empty Vessels he filled to compleat the measure of our Infelicity unless such as by reason of their vast runnings out had need daily of a new supply and amongst these the Earl of Carlisle was one of the Quorum that brought in the vanity of Anti-Suppers not heard of in our Fore-Fathers time and for ought I have read or at least remember unpractised by the luxurious Tyrants The manner of which was to have the Board covered at the first enterance of the Guests with Dishes as high as a tall Man could well reach filled with the choicest and dearest Viands Sea or Land could afford and all this once seen and having feasted the Eyes of the Invited was in a manner thrown away and fresh set on to the same height having only this advantage of the other that it was hot I cannot forget one of the Attendance of the King that at a Feast made by this Monster in Excess eat to his single share a whole Pye reckoned to my Lord at Ten Pounds being composed of Ambergrease Magesterial of Pearl Musk c. And after such Suppers huge Banquets no less profuse a Waiter returning his Servant home with a Cloak-Bag full of dried Sweat-Meats and Confects valued to his Lordship at more than Ten Shillings the Pound This Lord lay always under the comfortable Aspect of King James's favour though he was never found in his Bosome a place reserved for younger Men and of more endearing Countenances and these went under the appellation of his Favourites or Minions who like Burning-Glasses were daily interposed between Him and the Subject multiplying the heat of Oppressions in the general opinion tho in his own he thought they screened them from reflecting on the Crown Now as no other reason appeared in his choice but handsomness so the love the King shewed was as amorously conveyed as if he had mistaken their Sex and thought them Ladies which Somerset and Buckingham did labour to resemble in the Effeminateness of their Dressings though in W looks and wanton gestures they exceeded any part of Woman-kind Nor was his Love or what else the World will please to call it carried on with a discretion sufficient to cover a less scandalous Behaviour for the King kissing them after so lascivious a Mode in Publick and upon the Theatre as it were of the World prompted many to imagine things done in the Tiring-House that exceed my Expressions no less than they do my Experience and therefore left floating upon the Waves of Conjecture which hath tossed them from one side to another It 's generally said That the Earl of Holland and some others refused his Majesties favour upon those conditions They subscribed to who filled that place in his Affections Holland losing that opportunity his curious Face and complexion afforded him by turning aside and spitting after the King had slabâ—â—red his Mouth who though numbred among the Gods upon Earth yet any that will be so inquisitive as to â—ake in his Dust may find as many â—railties as ever Man stood charged with of which this was none of the â—east doubling the weight of his Oppression for the setting up of these Golden Calves cost England more than Queen Elizabeth spent in all her Wars Nor will the Story of the Lord Treasurer Buckhurst fall in improperly here who being a very corrupt Man or much abused did lay claim to some part of the Kentish Lucy's Lands thaâ— lay contiguous to his own and mistrusting the Integrity of any other oâ— more legal Tryal did by the highnesâ— of his Hand bring it to the Councilâ— Table where about that time many Causes were shamefully carried anâ— from whence the most excellent Chancellor for parts that ever sate in thaâ— Court might derive the most Capitaâ— of his faults and after some Debatâ— the Treasurer standing up and offering to pull out of his Bosome Paperâ— that were pretended for their Lordships full and final satisfaction he feâ— down Dead as called to Answer at â— Higher Tribunal Neither has any since ever questioned Lucy's Land iâ— the quiet Possession of which he waâ— thus miraculously Estated The Treasurer was much given to Bribery anâ— Women in the general Opinion afteâ— whom these Verses were sent it beinâ— the fashion of the Poets in those days to sum up great Mens Virtues or Vices on their Graves These with many more to a like sense belonged to this Gentleman Discourteous Death that would'st not once confer Or daign to Parley with our Treasurer Had he been Thee or of thy fatal Tribe He would have spar'd a Life to gain a Bribe Another Here lies a Lord that Wenching thought no Sin And bought his Flesh by selling of our Skin His Name was Sackvile and so void of Pity As he did Rob the Country with the City The Match King James made between Elizabeth his Eldest Daughter and the Elector of the Rhyne contrary to the grain of many and the particular desires of her Mother who looked upon it so much below her as she could not refrain to call her Good Wife Palsgrave before she had put off her Wedding Shoes Now whether it was hope or fear according to the Opinion of the Catholicks and Polititians or a supine carelesness and desire to be rid of her with the least Expence as all the Ladies Friends suggested or pure Zeal to Religion as some simple people thought or what was most probable a Composition of all the three first mentioned Passions induced the King to accept of such mean Conditions I leave the Reader to Judge and only observe that although in Relation to Person and Vertue she might deservedly hold a Room in the greatest Princes Bed in Europe yet God was not pleased to afford her any outward Blessing but a multitude of Children of which the Eldest was unfortunately Drowned not withouâ— some reproach to the Father and a diminution of the rest in the opinion of the People that do though not seldom without a cause over-value any thing irrecoverably lost and at last cast her into an Ocean of Calamities in which she remained a floating Example to other Princes of the instability of Fortune as she did in Prosperity for Civility and Goodness And though none need seek for Reasons why Judgments should fall upon the Children of Princes yet her Behaviour was throughout so blameless as amongst the worst Reports the Papists could raise nothing appear'd to prove her so great an Actor in Ill as she was â—ound a Patient in Misery which makes me in Charity think it came rather by Descent than Purchase
It was the Opinion of those Times that the Elector might have sped better had he not Matched with England whose King was so timerous as he â—uffered all to Perish for want of seasonable supply that relied upon his Power for had his Consort been of weaker Alliance he had refused the Crown of Bohemia when it was offered or upon acceptance been more Cordially assisted by his fellow Princes already wearied by the Emperours Oppressions no less than terrified by an expectation of worse It was generally thought and that not without good reason That Prince Henry gave the first incouragement to the Prince Elector to attempt his Sister desiring more to Head an Army in Germany than he durst make shew of and would no doubt have been bravely followed That his thoughts flew high hundreds of his Servants could witness together with the Love he seemed to bear his Sister before his Brother Charles whom he would often Taunt till he made him Weep telling him He should be â— Bishop a Gown being fittest to hide hiâ— Legs subject in his Childhood to be Crooked Nor did all this put together lengthen his Life in the desires of many Besides Sir Walter Rawleigh did mediate his Favour by a Discourse he sent him proving no War could be so necessary or advantageous for England as one with Spain alledging many Reasons and Examples as well out of the Practice of Queen Elizabeth as his own Experience no Prince else then being able to pay for or bear the Expence of a Royal Navy which once in a Year he would without question accomplish by our intercepting some or most of the Plate-Fleet all Nations besides at that time being but Sea-Pedlars Wherefore if Philip the Second cut off his own hopeful and only Son Charles for but pittying the People of Flanders it can be no wonder He should promote the destruction of a Stranger that did so far applaud the advice of Rawleigh as to say No King but his Father would keep such a Bird in a Cage But to leave this to the Faith of Posterity the Actions of Kings being written in such dark Characters and relating to so many several ends as they are not easily deciphered I shall return to the German Affairs towards which had England contributed proportionably to the Head of a Union it may be presumed from the King of Sweeden's Success who had at the begining no such advantages to rely on that the Eclipsing if not the Ruine of the House of Austria had not been adjourned to so long a day And he that shall turn over the Adviso's of those Times may without danger or much trouble find what Opinion the Germans had of Us and in how great a dismay it cast their Proceedings when the smallness of the Lord Vere's Forces were known but when they read a Commission only enabling him to do nothing they apprehended themselves some out of Malice Betrayed others that knew the temper of King James better were so Charitable as to impute it to the true Cause which was his Fear upon whose Altar he was not only ready to Sacrifice his present Honour and future Safety but the Blood of those he stiles in all his Manifesto's His dearest Children For after his Daughter and the Elector were Crowned King and Queen of Bohemia they lost together with this Shadow all her Substance and what he was for so many Descents Born to the Palatinate at the Battle of Prague where few blows were dealt on the Electors side reported to be so Mad as to think the Souldier would venture his Life in a Cause where he to whom it most concerned was afraid to venture his Money It being then too late to spare when Honour and Fortune lay at the Stake By which this miserable Prince did not only lose what he might possibly have gained but most of the Wealth he desired to save The Earl of Portland Lord Treasurer was sent by King James when they looked for an Army to Mediate a Peace By whose help though a Roman Catholick the Elector and his Lady found means though with much difficulty to Escape to the Hague with their new assumed empty Titles having nothing else to support them but Patience and Hope the only and ordinary Comfort of those deprived of all help besides yet it was gerally reported by the Roman Catholicks That Portland was too far engaged to their Party to be the Author of so ungrateful a Service But this being his first Employment no less than a desire in the Pope to see the Power of the Emperour moderated who began to Incroach upon the pretended Immunities of the Church he might probably take this advantage to render his Embassy the more acceptable upon his return to the People of England if not to the King Persons of their Quality falling seldom by the Sword and therefore thought perhaps better Thrift to maintain them at Liberty than in Restraint or Redeem them at such a Ransom as a Victorious Prince might Impose to the Payment of which his Majesty was engaged in Honour and Nature However I am more charitable than to conclude all Papists imployed by this King so dishonest as to falsiâ—ie their Trust for if that followed as a necessary consequence God help this poor Nation that had before then and long after few Commissioned in any affair of Importance but such as were that way affected or wholly indifferent It being the intent of Providence to use his help it may be as he did of Pharoah's Daughter to preserve this Vertuous Lady out of danger whose Misfortunes kindled such a Fire in Germany as before it was extinguished lick'd up the choicest Blood in the Austrian Family some one or other prosecuting the like Attempt amongst whom was Count Mansfield that had little else than his own Fortune and Valour to carry him so far as he went but what he punctually did or promised to do was at too great a distance to be certainly known more than could be Learned from the Eccho it made at Court which sounded diversly according to the Inclinations and hollowness of their Hearts that made the Reverberation This is certain That Mansfield was in appearance well received at Court but how King James could like a Man that laboured to bring in so Anti-Monarchial a Precedent as to struggle for Liberty with his Native Prince I cannot but question who himself daily inculcate into the People through the Mediation of his Divines and by the Terror of his Laws That no other Refuge was left in any saving Experiment during the unjustest and most cruel Tyranny but Prayers and Tears a Tenet if he had believed himself or thought such as owned either Prudence or Power did he would doubtless have Governed much better or if possible abused the Nation and debauched his Succession much worse Yet to give a countenance to a Business he had so shamefully disparaged before he sent for the Count over in one of his Royal Ships which was cast away
upon the English Coast an Example almost as remote from a Precedent as for a Mighty Prince to be a quiet Spectator of the Ruine of his Family Such as were of the Spanish Faction spoke most disgracefully of Count Mansfield for getting the lower footing they assigned for his Rise they admirably Proclaimed his dexterity in Mounting himself so High who at his going from hence was furnished with Men and Money the most of them lost before their Landing Such Proceedings being much in use with King James who like a ready Horse did often seem to the World as if he meant to run yet did little more in effect than stand still And here we shall give a brief Account of the Poysoning business of Sir T. Overbury on which account King James made so many dreadful Imprecations against himself and Posterity on his Knees and in the presence of his Judges If he should spare any that were found Guilty in that affair but how he failed the ensuing Relation will inform Montgomery being in the Wain of his Favour as given more to his own Pleasures than to observe the King Then was a young Gentleman Mr. R. Carr one that was very handsome and well bred who by the Interest of the Scots had a Grooms place of the Bed-Chamber he did more than any other associate himself with Sir Thomas Overbury a Man of excellent parts but those made him Proud and Insolent Now was Carr Knighted and made Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber and Overburies Pride rose with the others Honours then was the strife between Salisbury and Suffolk who should ingross this great Favourite Pythias Overbury and make him their Monopoly each presenting proffering and accumulating favours on Overbury's Kindred the Father made a Judge in Wales and himself offered an Office but being naturally of an insolent Temper which was elevated by being so intimate with a Favourite and wholly having ingrossed that Commodity which could not be retailed but by him and his Creatures with a kind of Scorn neglected their Friendships yet made use of both Northampton finding himself neglected by so mean a fellow as he thought cast about another way and followed Balaam's Counsel by sending a Moabitish Woman unto him in which he made use of one Coppinger a Gentleman who had spent a fair Fortune left him by his Ancestors and now for Maintenance was forced to lead the life of a Serving-man that formerly kept many to serve him and as an addition the worst of that kind a slat Bawd This Gentleman had lived a scandalous Life by keeping a Whore of his own therefore was fittest to trade in that commodity for another and in truth was fit to take any Impression Baseness could stamp on him as the sequel of this Story will manifest This Moabitish Woman was a Daughter of the Earl of Suffolks Married to a young Noble Gentleman the Earl of Essex This Train took and the first private meeting was at Coppingers House and himself Bawd to their Lust which put him into a far greater Bravery for a time than when he was Master of his own but it had bitterness on all hands in the end This Privacy in their stollen Pleasures made Coppinger a Friend to Northampton and Suffolk though but a Servant to Viscount Rochester for so was our new Favorite Carr made and now had they linked him so close as no breaking from them Overbury was that Iohn Baptist that reproved the Lord for the Sin of using the Lady and abusing the young Earl of Essex he would call her Strumpet her Mother and Brother Bawds and used them with so much Scorn as in truth was not to be endured by one of his Rank to persons of that Quality how faulty soever otherwise they were Then to satisfie Overbury and blot out the name of Sin his Love led him into a more desperate way by a resolution to Marry another Mans Wife against this then did Overbury Bellow louder and in it shewed himself more like an affectionate than a discreet and moderate Friend had he compounded one dram of Discretion with an ounce of Affection he might with such a Receipt have preserved his own Life and their Fortunes and Honors For those that infinitely hated that Family did as infinitely condemn his Insolent carriage and behaviour towards them so that had any of those Brothers or Name killed Overbury either by picking a Quarrel with him or Pistolling him or any other desperate way or bravely in a Duel upon some other ground of a Quarrel than blemishing their Sister the World would have justified the Action however he had stood with God but Buchanan's Character of that Family barrs all expectation of so much bravery of Spirit but a Council must be held to put him to Death by some Baser means The Plot then must be he must be sent a Leidger Ambassador into France which by Obeying they should be rid of so great an Eye-sore by Disobeying he incurred the displeasure of his Prince a Contempt that he could not expect less than Imprisonment for and by that Means be Sequestred from his Friends And thus far I do believe the Earl of Somerset for so was he now made was consenting this Stratagem took and Overbury might truly say Video meliora deteriora sequar for he indeed made the worst choice it could not be thought but such an Imployment was far above his Desert and much better for him to have accepted than to be confined to a loathsome Prison and for want of Judgment had his Sufferings been less than loss of Life he had not been worthy of Pity but Jupiter quos vult perdere hos dementat he would go to the Tower from whence he never returned rather than accept of an honourable Imployment from whence he might not only have returned but done his Friends acceptable Service either in Private or in Publick In his mannaging of this Business that Wisdom which formerly he had been esteemed for suffered under the censure of Wise Men as well as Fools Having him now fast in Prison Herodias by pleasing her Herod must also ask and have his Life for Per scelus ad scelera tutior est via to that end they prefered Emposides to be Servant to Sir Gervas Elwayes then Lieutenant of the Tower This Gentleman was ever held Wise and Honest but Unfortunate in having that place thrust upon him without his thought he was also so Religious that few in the Court did equal him so Wise as he obtained the Character of Wise Sir Gervas Elwayes yet neither could his Wisdom nor the opinion of his Religion and Honesty prevent that Fate he was so ignorant of the Plot as he never Dreamt of any such matter until one day as it should seem Weston being told Elwayes did know wherefore he was preferred unto him to wait on Overbury he asked the Lieutenant whether he should now do it Elwayes asked him what Weston at that being somewhat abashed which Elwayes quickly apprehended
delivered such a Verdict as they did and a just one upon their Views tho upon some of their Knowledges it was not that Lady they were to give Verdict upon Now is the Nullity pronounced and the Marriage with Somerset speedily Solemnized for which they and the whole Family of Suffolk paid dear in after time and had sowre Sauce to that sweet Meat of their great Son-in-Law And surely he was the most unfortunate in that Marriage being as generally Beloved as for himself and Disposition as Hated afterwards for his linking himself in that Family For in all the time of this Man's Favour before this Marriage he did nothing obnoxious to the State or any base thing for his private gain but whether this was his own Nature that curbed him or that there was then a Brave Prince living and a Noble Queen that did awe him we cannot so easily judge because after this Marriage and their Death he did many ill things Now began to appear a glimmering of a new Favorite one Mr. George Villers a younger Son by a second Venter of an Ancient Knight in Leicester-shire his Father of an Ancient Family his Mother of a Mean and a Waiting-Gentlewoman whom the Old-Man fell in Love with and Married by whom he had Three Sons all raised to the Nobility by meanâ— of their Brother Favorite This Gentleman was come but newly from Travel and did believe it a great Fortune to Marry a Daughter of Sir Roger Aston's and in truth 't was the height of his Ambition and for that only end was a hanger upon the Court The Gentlewoman loved him so well as could all his Friends have made herâ— great Fortune but an hundred Markâ— Joynter she had Married him presently in despight of all of them But before the closing up of this Match the King cast a glancing Eyâ— towards him which was easily observed by such as minded their Princes Humor and then the Match was â—aid aside some assuring him a greater Fortune was coming unto him Then one gave him his place of Cupâ—earer that he might be in the King's Eye another sent to his Mercer and Taylor to put good Cloaths on him a third to his Sempster for curious Linnen and all as In-comes to obtain Offices on his future rise Then others took upon them to be his Bravo's to undertake his Quarrels upon Affronts put upon him by Somerset's Faction so all hands helped to the piecing up this new Favorite Then began the King to Eat abroad who formerly used to Eat in his Bed-Chamber or if by chance Supped in his Bed Chamber would come forth to see Pastimes and Fooleries in which Sir Edward Souch Sir George Goring and Sir J. Finet were the chief and Master Fools and surely this Fooling got them more than any others Wisdom far above them in Desert Souch's part was to Sing Bawdy Songs and to tell Bawdy Tales Finet to compose these Songs Theâ— were a Sett of Fidlers brought up on purpose for this Fooling And Goring was Master of the Game for Fooleries sometimes presenting David Droman and Archee Armstrong the King's Fool on the back of the other Fools to Tilt at one another till they fell together by the Ears sometimes Antick Dances but Sir John Millisent who was never known before was commended for a notable Fool With this Jollity was this new Favorite ushered in This made the House of Suffolk fret and Somerset carried himself more proudly and his Bravado's ever quarrelling with the others which by his Office of Lord-Chamberlain for a while carried it but Somerset using of Sir Ralph Wynwooâ— whom himself brought in for Secretary of State in so scornful a manner he having only the Title the Earl himself keeping the Seals and doing the Business made Wynwood endeavor to ruine him who soon got an opportunity by frequenting the Countess of Shrewsburies then Prisoner in the Tower who told Wynwood on a time That Overbury was Poysoned which she understood from Sir Gervase Elwayes who did labour by her means to deal with her Two Sons-in-Law Arundel and Pembroke Winwood being also great with that â—action that when it came into question he might save his own Stake who truly was no otherwise Guilty but that he did not discover it at Weston's first disclosing it he being Keeper of the Prison so by Inâ—erence his not disclosing it was Overbury's Death and had he revealed it then he certainly had been brought into the Star-Chamber for it and undone for it was not the Time fit for discovery Winwood it was thought acquainted the King with it knowing how willingly he would have been rid of Somerset yet the King durst not bring it in question nor any Doubt ever would have been had not Somerset sought to cross him in his Passion of Love to his new Favorite in which the King was more impatient than any Woman to enjoy her Love Not long after Thrumbal Agent at Bruxels had by an Apothecaries Boy one Reeve after an Apothecary himself in London who lived sometime after gotten hold of this Poysoning business for Reeve having under his Master made some of these desperate Medicines either run away or else his Master sent him out of the way and fell in Company with Thrumbal's Servants at Bruxels to whom he revealed it and they to their Master who Examining the Boy discover'd the Truth Thrumbal presently wrote to Secretary Wynwood he had business of consequence to discover but would not send it therefore desired License to come over The King would not yield to his Return but willed him to send an Express That Thrumbal utterly refused and very wisely for letting any thing appear under his Hand leâ—t the Boy should Die or run away and then himself made the Author of that which the Courtesie of another must have justified The King being of a longing Disposition rather than he would not know admitted Thrumbal's Return and now had they good Testimony by the Apothecary who revealed Weston Mrs. Turner and Franklin to be the principal Agents yet this being now the time of Progress was not stired till about Michaelmas But still Wynwood now carry himself in a kind of braving way of Contestation against Somerset struck in with the Faction of Villers's And now on Progress the King went Westward where at the several places as he came he was highly Treated After all his Feastings homewards came the King who desired by all means to reconcile this Clashing between his declining and rising Favorite to which end at Lulworth the King imployed Sir Humphry May a great Servant to Somerset and a wise Servant to Villers but with such Instructions as if it came from himself and Villers had order presently after Sir Humphry May's return to present himself and Service to Somerset My Lord said he Sir George Villers will come to you to offer his Service and desire to be your Creature and therefore refuse him not Embrace him and your Lordship shall still stand a great
and Cools many Hopes and Despairs the Prince wrote a Letter to his Father of a desperate Despair not only of not enjoying his Lady but of never more returning with this Passage You must now Sir look upon my Sister and her Children forgetting ever you had such a Son and never thinking more of Me. Now the Folly of this Voyage plotted only by green Heads began to appear many shewing much Sorrow many smiling at their Follies and in truth glad in their Hearts and however the King was a cunning Dissembler and shewed much outward Sorrow as he did for Prince Henry's Death yet something was discerned which made his Court believe little Grief came near his Heart for that Hatred he bore to Buckingham long as being Satiated with him and his Adoring the Rising-Sun not looking after the Sun-Setting made the World believe he would think it no ill Bargain to lose his Son so Buckingham might be lost also The Reason the King so hated Buckingham was besides his being weary of Him and his Marriage after which the King's Edge was ever taken off from all Favourites yet this had so much the over-awing Power of Him that He durst not make Shew to affect any other There was one Inniossa a Spanish Ambassador extraordinary being an old Souldier and a Gallant Fellow thought that Buckingham did not give that Respect to Him which was due to his own Person or to the Person of so Great a King whose Person He represented This Inniosa being a daring Gentleman used some Speeches in Derogation of the Prince and Buckingham as if they were dangerous to the old King Nay Inniosa sent one Padro Mecestria a Spanish Jesuit and a great States-man to King James to let Him know that He under Confession had found the King was by Buckingham or by his Procurement to be Killed but whether by Poyson Pistol Dagger c. he could not tell The King after the Hearing of this was extreamly Melancholly and in that Passion was found by Buckingham at his return to Him The King as soon as ever He espyed him said Ah Stenny Stenny for so He ever called him in familiarity Wilt Thou kill Me At which Buckingham started and said Who Sir hath so abused You At which the King sate Silent Out went Buckingham Fretting and Fuming asked Who had been with the King in his Absence It was told him Padro Mecestria Then Buckingham went immediately and questioned Padro Mecestria Which Quarrel Inniâ—ssa undertook and told him He would maintain him a Traytor and wear his Master's Person off him He was a Chivalier and better Born than Himself and would make it Good on Him with his Sword Buckingham being fully Satisfied on several Accounts of the great Hatred the King now bare unto him He turned as great an Hater of the King and though the King had more Power to Revenge He had less Courage and Buckingham less Power and more Courage sharpned with Revenge And however the World did believe the King's Inclination was out of a Religious Ground that He might not Revenge yet it was no other but a Cowardly Disposition that durst not adventure But although the King lost his Opportunity on Buckingham yet the Black Plaister and Powder did shew Buckingham lost not his on the King and that it was no Fiction but a Reality that Padro Mecestria had formerly told the King And now to return from this Digression which is not impertinent besides a great Secret The Prince returns from Spain contrary to Expectation in which the Wisdom and Gravity of the Spaniard failed him especially if they did believe Padro Mecestria besides Nature could not long Support the old King and then the Spaniard might have made no little Advantage by enjoying such a Pledge Now is all the Fault of the Match not succeeding laid on Digby's False Play and Unfaithfulness to his Master and Combining with the Spaniard for his own Ends And Buckingham the most Hated Man then living from an Accused Man in the former Parliament came to be the very Darling of this Parliament In the Banquetting-Hhouse before both Houses of Parliament does Buckingham give an Account at large of his Spanish-Voyage and to every full Point as a further Attestation he saith How say You Sir To which the Prince answered I Yea or Yes and thorough all his Discourse laboured to make Bristol as hateful to this Parliament as Himself had been to the Former Bristol having some Friends that sent him Advice of All into Spain He immediately Posts for England makes Buckingham's Relation and Accusation wholly Scandalous and False and becomes a great Favourite to King James In this Place I hold it not unfit to shew the Reader how the King hath ever been Abused and would be abused by over-much Credulity in the Treaty of Spain for Marriages as well as in all other Negotiations You shall now perceive how the King was Abused in this Treaty which was an Error inexcusable in Himself and whole Council The Italians having a Proverb He that Deceives me Once it is his Fault but if Twice it is my Fault This second time could not but be the only Fault of the King and Council In Prince Henry's Life-time the King had a little Man but a very great and wise Councellor little Salisbury his Secretary of State that great Statesman who did Inherit all his Fathers Wisdom as well as his Offices There was a Treaty in the like case for Prince Henry Salisbury instantly discovered the Jugling before any other did think of any for although it went forward cunningly yet did Salisbury so put the Duke of Lerma unto it that either it must be or they must confess their Jugling The Duke of Lerma denied that ever there had been any Treaty or any Intention from that State Salisbury sent for the Ambassador to a full Council and told him How he had abused the King and State about a Treaty for Marriage which he had no Commission for that therefore he was liable to the Laws of our Kingdom For when any Servant doth abuse a State by their Master's Commission then that Servant was freed but without Commission was culpable and liable to be Punished by the Laws of that State as being disavowed to be Servant to the King his Master The Ambassador answered gravely He did not understand the cause of his coming therefore was then unprepared to give any Answer but on Monday he would again come and give his Answer On Monday he comes begins with these words My Soul is my God's my Life my Master 's my Reputation my Own I will not forfeit my First and Last to preserve the Second Then lays down his Commission and Letters of Instruction under the Duke of Lerma's own Hand He acquitted himself Honestly in this State yet lost his own being instantly sent for Home where he lived and dyed in Disgrace here was Legatus vir bonus peregre missus sed non ad mentiendum reipublicae causa
By this you see the advantage and benefit of one Wise Counsellor in a whole State and although Solomon says By the multitude of Councellors doth a Kingdom Flourish yet surely he intended they should be Wise Men that are Councellors for we had such a multitude of Councellors that a longer Table and a larger Council-Chamber was provided yet our State was so far from Flourishing that it had been almost utterly destroyed I shall now bring my Story to an end as I shall this King's Life although I have made some Digressions yet all pertinent to the Secret Intreagues of this King's Reign He now goes to his last Hunting-Journey I mean the last of the Year as well as his Life which He ever ended in Lent and was seized on by an extraordinary Tertian Ague which at that Season according to the Proverb was Physick for a King but King James did not find it so and poor King what was but Physick to any other was made Mortal to him Yet 't was not the Ague as himself Confessed to many of his Servants one of which crying Courage Sir this is but a small Fit the next will be none at all At which he most earnestly looked and said Ah! it is not the Ague afflicteth me but the black Plaster and Powder given me and laid to my Stomach and in truth the Plaster so troubled him that he was glad to have it pulled off and with it the Skin also Nor was it fair Dealing if he had sair Play which himself suspected often saying to Montgomery whom he trusted above all Men in his Sickness For God's sake look I have fair Play to bring in an Emperick to apply any Medicines whil'st those Physicians appointed to attend him were at Dinner nor could any but Buckingham Answer it with less than his Life Buckingham coming into the King's Chamber even when He was at the point of Death an honest Servant of the King 's crying Ah! my Lord you have Undone us all his poor Servants although you are so well provided you need not care At which Buckingham kickt at him who caught his Foot and made his Head first come to the Ground where Buckingham presently rising run to the Dying-King's Bed-side and cryed Justice Sir I am abused by your Servant and wrongfully Accused At which the poor King Mournfully fixed his Eyes on him as who would have said Not wrongfully yet without Speech or Sense It were worth the knowledge what his Confessions was or what other Expressions he made of himself or any other but that was only known to the dead Arch-Bishop Abbot and the then living Bishop Williams and the Lord-Keeper and it was thought Williams had blabbed something which incensed the King's Anger and Buckingham's Hatred so much against him that the loss of his Place could not be expiatory sufficient but his utter ruine must be determined and that for the great Crime of Lapsus Linguae Now having brought this King who was stiled the King of Peace to rest in all Peace the 27th of March his Son by Sound of the Trumpet was Proclaimed King by the Name of CHARLES the First His Father's Reign began with a great Plague and we have shewed what his Reign was His Son 's with a greater Plague the greatest that ever had been in these parts We come now to shew what his Reign was in the ensuing Discourse FINIS THE Secret History c. THE Misfortunes of this Monarch Son to King James with the uncouth dismal and unexpressible Calamities that happened thereupon appear yet so great a Sacrifice in the Opinions of all Interested by the Loss or Suborned by that natural Propensity inherent in the most to expunge or palliate the Lapses of unhappy Princes whose Indulgence is not seldom so defensive as to expiate for the Faults of those standing in a far remoter Relation than that of a Father that they have hitherto stoped my Pen from making any farther Progress that way till led on by a Zeal to Truth and illuminated from the brighter Judgments of others I found not only the Imprudent Commissions but voluntary Omissions of King James so much instrumental in the promotion of our late Unnatural Wars As it may justly be said He like Adam by bringing the Crown into so great a Necessity through profuse Prodigality became the Original of his Son's Fall who was in a manner compelled to stretch out his Hands towards such Gatherings and Taxes as were contrary to Law by which He fell from the Paradice of a Prince to wit The Hearts of his People though the best Polititians extant might miscarry in their Calculation of a Civil-War immediately to follow upon the Death of Queen Elizabeth in Vindication of the number of Titles and Opinions then current Yet the Beggarly Rabble attending King James not only at his first coming out of Scotland but through his whole Reign like a fluent Spring found still crossing the River Tweed did so far justifie the former Conjecture as it was only thought mistaken in relation to Time King James departing this Life at Theobald's the 27th day of March 1625. in the Fifty Ninth Year of his Age when He had Reigned Twenty Two Years compleat In the Afternoon of the same day Charles Prince of Wales his only Son then living was Proclaimed King of Great Britain France and Ireland The first thing He did was performing the Ceremonies of his Father's Funeral in which the King himself in Person followed as Chief Mourner He then proceeded to consummate the Marriage with Hentietta Maria Younger Daughter of the great Henry the Fourth King of France whom He had formerly seen in his Journey through that Country into Spain The King then called a Parliament which Assembled the 18th of June following to whom He represented in a short Speech The urgent necessity of raising a Subsidy since it would not agree with his Kingly Honour to shrink from the War with Spain which his Father upon solid Consideration had by consent of Both Houses undertakeâ— although prevented by Death from putting it in Execution c. The Parliament would not resolve on raising of Money till they had first presented their Two Petitions concerning Reasons of Religion and Complaint of their Sufferings which Points had been offered to his Father King James in the close of his last Parliament and by his Death were left hitherto unanswered In Both which they received satisfaction and likewise an account of the Arrears which were due to the Forces by Sea and Land together with an estimate of the future Charge and Expence of the Spanish War Upon which the King obtained of the Laiety Two Subsidies to be paid by Protestants and Four from Papists and Three Subsidies from the Clergy In this Parliament Dr. Montague the King's Chaplain was questioned for certain Tenets in his Answer to a Book called the Romish Dagger Divers Laws were Enacted in this Parliament as one about the Observation of the Lord's-Day and another
for Restraint of Tippling in Inns and Ale-Houses On the 11th of July 1629. the Parliament by reason of the great Plague or Sickness that then raged Adjourned till August the 1st where the King first by Himself and next by his Secretaries the Lord Conway and Sir J. Cook declared to them the necessity of setting forth a Fleet for the Recovery of the Palatinate The Lord Treasurer likewise Instanced the several Summs of Money which King James Died Indepted to the City of London This occasioned very warm Debates in the House of Commons who alledged That Evil Counsels guided the King's Designs That the Treasury was misimployed That our Necessities arose through Improvidence That it would be necessary to Petition the King for a stricter Hand and abler Council to manage his Affairs That though a former Parliament engaged the King in a War yet if things were managed with contrary Designs and the Treasury were misimployed this Parliament was not bound to be carried blindfold in Designs not guided by sound Counsel That it was not usual to grant Subsidies upon Subsidies in one Parliament and no Grievances Redressed with many other Passages of the like nature They likewise very much reflected on the Miscarriages of the Duke of Buckingham who was then a Person of a very Considerable Trust They presented the King with a Petition against Popish Recusants c. Unto which a Satisfactory Answer was returned And thereupon there followed a Debate about Supplies Some were for Contributing presently Others Demurred as disliking the Design in Hand and in Conclusion the Major-part agreed not to give And then being Incensed against the Duke of Buckingham they began to think of Divesting Him of his Offices and to require an Account of the Publick Money c. To prevent which the King Dissolved the Parliament Now the War with Spain being intended both for the Recovery of the Palatinate and to prevent Disturbances in our Civil State but by reason of the Dissolving of the Parliament the King was Necessitated to take up Money upon Loan of such Persons as were of Ability to Lend And to that end he Directed his Letters to the Lord Lieutenants of the several Counties To return the Names of those Men they thought most Sufficient the Places of their Abodes and what Sums each might be judged able to Lend And to the Persons returned Letters were Issued forth in the King's Name shewing That His Majesty having Observed in the Precedents and Customs of former Times That all the Kings and Queens of this Realm upon Extraordinary Occasions have used either to Resort to those Contributions which arise from the Generality of the Subjects or to the Private Helps of some Well-affected in that Particular by way of Loan With many Cogent Reasons shewing How His present pressing Emergencies required His having Recourse to the Method of Raising Moneys Upon the Second of February was the Coronation at which the King did not pass through the City in State from the Tower as was usual but went by Water from White-Hall to Westminster for fear of the Danger of the Concourse of People the Pestilence which Raged the Year before not being quite ceased The King Summons a Parliament to Sit February the Sixth And being Met accordingly the King Chose Sir H. Finch for their Speaker Then they fell upon Debate of the Publick Grievances viz. The Miscarrying of the Fleet at Cadiz the Evil Counsellors about the King mis-employing the King's Revenue on account of the Subsidies and Three Fifteens Granted in the One and twentieth Year of King James Then the House of Commons were very busie in Searching the Signet-Office for the Original of a Letter under the Signet Written to the Mayor of York for Reprieving divers Priests and Jesuits This was Reported by Pim Chair-man to the Committee for Religion but their Proceedings therein was interrupted by a Message from the King sent by Sir R. Weston demanding a Supply for the English and Irish Forces This was so highly resented that one Sir Clement Cook one of the Members openly Protested That it was better to Dye by a Foreign Enemy than to be Destroyed at Home And Doctor Turner one of the House Seconded him with many Bold Expressions Which so Provoked the King that He immediately sent Sir R. Weston to demand Satisfaction of the House of Commons Whereupon Dr. Turner presently after made a Speech in Vindication and for Explaining himself which was Seconded by Sir W. Waller Sir J. Elliot and many other Members of the House But notwithstanding these Discourses the Commons taking the King's Necessities into Consideration Voted Three Subsidies and Three Fifteens and the Bill should be brought in as soon as the Grievances which were Represented were Redressed But the King Observing they did not make as much Hast as He expected to answer His last Message Summons both Houses together and by the Lord Keeper Complains to them For not punishing Dr. Turner and C. Cook and likewise for Searching his Signet-Office and also Justified the Duke of Buckingham to have Acted nothing of Publick Employment without His Special Warrant He blamed them for being too Sparing in the matter of Supply and for Ordering the Bill not to be brought in till their Grievances were Heard and Answered which He would not Admit of But the Commons in Answer present a Remonstrance and justifie Themselves The King again Earnestly pressed the House of Commons for a speedy Supply by their Speaker Sir H. Finch giving them to understand That if they did not pass the Bill of Subsidy by the end of the Week following it would enforce Him to take other Resolutions and if by their Denial or Delay any thing of ill Consequences should fall out either at Home or Abroad He called God and Man to Witness That He had done his Part to prevent it by Calling his People together to Advise with Him whose Sitting if they dispatched This according to his Desire He resolved to continue for the Dispatch of other Affairs and after their Recess to bring Them again together the next Winter Before the Commons sent an Answer they drew up a Petition to His Majesty That He would be pleased to Remove from all Places of Trust and Authority all such Persons as were either Popish Recusants or according to the Directions of former Acts of State justly to be suspected to be such And herewith they likewise sent a large Scroul of the Names of all such Noblemen and others as continued in Places of High Trust in the several Counties of England Presently after the Commons drew up another Declaration of Grievances against the Duke of Buckingham whom they Resolved utterly to Overthrow though much contrary to the Inclination of the King who being thereat Incensed Dissolved the Parliament the very next Day June 15th 1626. After which the King Published a Declaration shewing the Grounds and Reasons of his Dissolving this and the former Parliament Then several ways were Resolved on for
Advancing the King's Revenue First Levying of Customs and Impost on all Merchandize supposed to be settled to the King by the Two last Parliaments Privy Seals also were Issued out and Benevolence proposed and at length a Commission for a General Loan was Resolved on Sir Randolph Crew for not appearing Vigorous in promoting the Loan was Displaced from being Lord-Chief-Justice the Bishop of Lincoln was likewise Informed against in the Star-Chamber by Sir J. Lamb and Dr. Sibthorp for speaking against the Loan and seeming to Favour the Puritans and Non-Conformists The Assessment of the Loan was generally Opposed whereupon the People of the lower Rank were ordered to Appear in the Millitary-Yard next St. Martins in the Fields before the Lieutenant of the Tower to be Listed for Souldiers it being thought Necessary that those which refused to Assist with their Purses in Common Defence should be forced to Serve in their Persons Others of better Quality were bound to Appear at the Council-Table several of whom were Committed Prisoners to the Fleet Marshalsea Gate-house c. and among others Sir J. Elliot who Petitioned His Majesty and repeated many Precedents That all manner of Taxes in former King's Reigns were never Levied but by the General Consent of the Nobility and Commons Assembled in Parliament However he was Committed Prisoner to the Gate-House and upon the same account Sir P. Haymon was Commanded to Serve the King in the Palatinate which he did accordingly Doctor Sibthorp and Dr. Maynwaring two Eminent Preachers at Court about this time Preached up the Necessity and Duty of the Loan One of them Asserting That the Prince had Power to Direct his Council and make Laws and that Subjects if they cannot exhibit Active Obedience in case the Thing commanded should be against the Law of God or Nature or more impossible yet nevertheless they ought to yield Passive Obedience and in all other Cases they were bound to Active Obedience The other Affirmed That the King 's Royal Command in Imposing of Laws and Taxes though without Common Consent in Parliament did Oblige the Subject's Conscience upon Pain of Eternal Damnation Which Position being entertain'd by the Court with Applause the Sermon of Dr. Sibthorp's call'd Apostolick Obedience was Licensed by Doctor Laud Bishop of London And an express Command was sent from the King to Arch-Bishop Abbot to Licence it which he refused Whereupon he was Suspended from his Archiepiscopal-Sea In 1627. being the Third Year of His Majesty's Reign the Duke of Buckingham to clear his Reputation as to the Charge of Negligence in his Admiralship with much ado Compleated his Naval Forces consisting of Six thousand Horse and Foot in Ten Ships Royal and Ninety Merchant-Men with which he set Sail from Portsmouth June 27th and Published a Manifesto of the K.'s Affections to the Reformed Churches in France But by several Accidents this Great Design miscarried At this Time the Exchequer was very low and several late Enterprizes having miscarried it was Resolved That a Parliament should be immediately Called and Writs were accordingly Issued out A Commission likewise passed under the Great Seal for raising Moneys through the Kingdom in nature of an Excise There was some Discourse of Levying of Ship-Money but it was declined at that Time because of the Parliament's approaching Upon the 17th of March 1627 the Parliament Assembled and the King with the Lord-Keeper in two Speeches earnestly Pressed them to Consider of some speedy way for Supplying His Majesty's Necessities The first Thing taken into Consideration by the Commons was the Grievance of the Kingdom and the first Thing insisted on was the Case of those Gentlemen for refusing the Loan and who notwithstanding their Habeas Corpus were remanded to Prison and it was Resolved in the House Nemine contradicente That no Man ought to be Restrained by the King or Privy-Council without some Cause of the Commitment Secondly That the Writ of Habeas Corpus ought to be Granted upon Request to every Man that is Restrained though by the Command of the King and Privy-Council or any other Thirdly That if a Free-man be Imprisoned by the Command of the King c. and no Cause of such Commitment expressed and the same be Returned upon an Habeas Corpus granted for the said Party then he ought to be Delivered or Bailed Then the Parliament proceeded to draw up a Petition against Popish Recusants to which the King gave them a Satisfactory Answer After which Five Subsidies were granted to the K. which gave so great Satisfaction to His Majesty that He sent them word He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessors had granted Whereupon the Commons fell upon the Memorable Petition of Right and was afterwards agreed to by both Houses that it should be settled to the King And when the Petition was Presented to His Majesty the Answer following was quickly returned The King willeth that Right be done according to Law and Customs of the Realm and the Statutes be put in due Execution that His Subjects may have no Cause to complain of any Wrongs or Oppressions contrary to their just Rights and Liberties to the Preservation whereof He holds Himself in Conscience as well Obliged as to that of his Prerogative This Answer being read in the House of Commons was not judged Satisfactory and therefore upon their humble Petition His Majesty to shew how Free and Candid His Concessions were to His Subjects sent them this short but full Answer Soit Droit Fait come il est desire Let it be done according to your Desire Which Answer mightily pleased both Houses and His Majesty for further Satisfaction suffered the Commission of Loan and Excise to be Cancelled and received Abbot and Williams into his Favour again so that all Discontents on every side seemed to be Banished In 1628. the Fourth Year of His Majesty's Reign the Parliament drew up a Remonstrance against Buckingham and against Bishop Neal and Bishop Laud which they Presented to the King with the Bill of Subsidies His Majesty telling them That He expected not such a Return for His favourable Answer to the Petition of Right and as for the Grievances He would take time to Consider An Information being likewise exhibited against the Duke in the Star-Chamber an Order was made in that Court That all Proceedings thereupon should be taken off the File by the King 's express Will and Pleasure And the King being resolved to hold up the Duke sent so brisk an Answer to their Remonstrances as provoked the Commons to question his taking Tunnage and Poundage which being of too valuable a consideration to be hazarded His Majesty Obviated by Adjourning the Parliament to the 20. of Octob. following The Earl of Danby having Sailed with Fifty Ships to the Relief of Rochel was repelled with much Loss so that despairing of Success he returned back to Plimouth Whereupon another Expedition was resolved on with a more considerable Navy and the Duke
of Buckingham was designed Admiral who going to Portsmouth in order to hastening of Business one John Felton a Lieutenant Stabbed him to the Heart with a Knife Felton after he had committed the Fact did not Fly but voluntary acknowledged he was the Person and being asked What inclined him to commit so Barbarous an Act he boldly answered He Killed him for the Cause of God and his Country The Parliament was to have met in October but by reason of some ill News during this Expedition they were Adjourned to January 20. In which time the Merchants refusing to pay Custom had their Goods seized Complaint thereof being made to the Parliament the King Summons the Two Houses to the Banqueting-House at White-Hall and requires them to Pass the promised Bill of Tonnage and Poundage for ending all Differences since it was too precious a Jewel of the Crown to be so lightly forgone But the Commons answered That God's Cause was to be prefered before the King 's and that they would therefore in the first place consult about Religion And therefore they appointed one Committee for Religion and another for Civil Matters In the last was a Complaint about the Customs and the Farmers of the Customs were Challenged but the King excused them as acting by His Command Yet this being not clear to the Parliament they would have proceeded against them as Delinquents Whereupon the King sent them word That in Honour he could not nor would give way thereunto which so incensed the Parliament that they Adjourned themselves for some Days and then Meeting again the King Adjourned them till March 10. The Commons inraged thereat blamed their Speaker for admitting the Message and ordered Sir J. Elliot to draw up their Remonstrance which was in very high terms about the Tonnage and Poundage The Commons having prepared their Remonstrance about the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage they required their Speaker to put it to the Vote whether it should be Presented to the King or not but the Speaker refused it and according to the King's Order would have gone away but Mr. Hollis would not suffer him to stir till himself had read the Protestation of the House consisting of Three Heads I. Whosoever shall bring in any Innovation of Religion or by Favour seek to introduce Popery or Arminianism or other Opinions disagreeing to the Orthodox Church shall be reputed a Capital Enemy to this Kingdom and Common-Wealth II. Whosoever shall Counsel or Advise the Taking or Levying the Subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage without being granted by Parliament or shall be an Actor or Instrument therein shall be likewise reputed a Capital Enemy to the Common-Wealth III. If any shall yield voluntary or Pay the same not being granted by Parliament he shall be reputed a Betraver of the Liberties of England and an Enemy to the Common-Wealth These were so much disliked by the King that he immediately sent for the Serjeant of Mace out of the House of Commons but Sir M. Hobart took the Key from him and locking the Door would not suffer him to go forth At which the King being very much offended sends the Usher of the Black-Rod to Dissolve Them who was not admitted in Whereupon the King with his Guard of Pensioners were resolved to force their Entrance which the Commons having notice of they suddenly went all out of the House And this was the End of this Parliament After their Dissolution the King Published a Declaration setting forth the Cause thereof notwithstanding which it procured great Animosities in the People against the Prime Ministers of State which occasioned divers Libels to be dispersed abroad whereof one against Bishop Laud was found in the Dean of St. Paul's Yard to this effect Laud look to thy self to be sure thy Life is sought as thou art the Fountain of Wickedness Repent of thy Monstrous Sin before thou be taken out of the World And assure thy self that neither God nor the World can endure such a vile Whisperer and Councellor Some considering the unsuccessfulness of This and the Two former Parliaments advised the King never to Call any more And to that end the famous Book of Projects was Published and Addrest to the King proposing some Methods to prevent the Impertinency of Parliaments as he called them from time to time by the Example of Lewis XI of France who pretending that the Commons or Third part did encroach too much on the Nobility and Clergy Dissolved it and never after suffered the People freely to Elect their Representatives but nominated certain Eminent Persons himself instead thereof which is called L' Assembly des Notabiles or the Assembly of the Chief or Principal Men. Upon May 29. 1630. the Queen was Delivered of a Son at St. James's who was Christened Charles who afterwards Succeeded his Father in these Kingdoms by the Name of CHARLES the Second In the Year 1633. and the Ninth of His Majesty's Reign the King made a Journey into Scotland and was Solemnly Crowned at Edinborough June 18. And then the King Calls a Parliament and passed an Act for the Ratification of the Old Acts. In this Scotish Parliament that Nation shewed some sign of Disaffection to the King And the generality of the Common People would not suffer the Bishop of Dumblaine Dean of the King 's private Chapple there to perform Prayers twice a day after the English manner Neither durst they receive the Communion on their Knees nor wear a Surplice upon Sundays and Holy-Days In the Year 1634. the design of Ship-Money was first set on foot and Attorney-General Noy being consulted about it he pretends out of some Old Records to find an Ancient Precedent of raising a Tax on the Nation by the Authority of the King alone for setting out a Navy in case of Danger which was thereupon put in Execution And by this Tax the King raised by Writ above Twenty Thousand Pounds per Month though not without great Discontent both among the Clergy and Laiety The Discontent in Scotland began farther to increase and a Book was Published charging the King with indirect Proceedings in the last Parliament and a tendency to the Romish Belief And now to blow up these Scotch Sparks to a Flame Cardinal Richlieu sent over his Chaplain and another Gentleman to heighten their Discontents The Author of that Book was Seized and found to be abetted by the Lord Balmerino who was thereupon Arraigned by his Peers and Sentenced to Death but Pardoned by the King The latter end of the Year 1635. great Differences arose about Church Matters chiefly occasioned by Arch-Bishop Laud's strict and zealous enjoyning Ceremonies as placing the Communion-Table at the East-end of the Church upon an Ascent with Rails Altar-fashion with many other things not formerly insisted on and now vehemently opposed by those who were formerly called Puritans and Non-Conformists which caused them to be charged with Faction Yet some of the Episcopal Party asserted That the Communion-Table ought to stand in
the middle of the Quire according to the Primitive Example And a Book supposed to be Written by Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln was Published to this purpose Several Gentlemen of Quality had refused to Pay the Ship-Money and among the rest Mr. Hamden of Buckingham-shire upon which the King refers the whole Business to the Twelve Judges in Michaelmas-Term 1636. Ten of whom that is Brampton Finch Davenport Denham Jones Trever Vernon Berkly Crowly Weston gave their Judgments against Hamden but Hutton and Crook refused it His Majesty desiring an Uniformity in England and Scotland in pursuance thereof enjoyned the Scots the use of the English Liturgy the Surplice and other Habiliments and began first in his own Chapple And in this Year 1637. Proclamation was made That the same should be used throughout all Churches wherewith the Bishops were contented but not the Kirk nor the People who were so inraged thereat that in Edinborough and divers other Parts of that Kingdom where the Liturgy was begun to be read committed very great Outrages and Violences against the Persons that read it and could not be appeased by the Power of the Magistrate And some time after the Scots entred into a solemn League and Covenant to preserve the Religion there Profest This Covenant the Scots were resolved to maintain and to that purpose they sent for General Lesly and other great Officers from beyond Sea providing themselves likewise with Arms and Ammunition After this they Elect Commissioners for the general Assembly whom they cite to move the Arch-Bishops and Bishops to appear there as Guilty Persons which being refused the People present a Bill of Complaint against them to the Presbitery at Edinbrough who accordingly warned them to appear at the next General Assembly At their Meeting the Bishops sent in a Protestation against their Assembly which the Covenanters would not vouchsafe to read And soon after they abolished Episcopacy and then prepared for a War On which the King of England prepares an Army for Scotland with which in the Year 1639. He Marched in Person into the North but by the Mediation of some Persons a Treaty of Peace was begun and soon finished but a while after broke by the Scots The King therefore resolved since fair means would not prevail to force the Scots to Reason And to that end considers how to make Provisions for Men and Money and calling a Secret Cabinet Council consisting only of Arch-Bishop Laud the Earl of Strafford and Duke Hamilton it was concluded That for the King's Supply a Parliament must be called in England and another in Ireland but because the Debates of Parliament would take up some time it was resolved That the Lords should Subscribe to Lend the King Money The Earl of Strafford Subscribed 20000 l. the Duke of Richmond as much The rest of the Lords Judges and Gentry contributed according to their Ability The Scots on the other side foreseeing the Storm prepared for their own Defence making Treaties in Sweeden Denmark Holland and Poland And the Jesuits who are never Idle endeavour to Foment the Differences to which end Con the Pope's Nuncio Sir Tob. Matthews Read and Maxwel Two Scots endeavoured to perswade the Discontented People That the King designed to Enslave them to his Will and Pleasure In the Year 1640. and the Sixteenth of the King's Reign a Parliament was called at Westminster April 13. In which the King presses them for a speedy Supply to Suppress the Violences of the Scots But whil'st the Parliament were Debating whether the Grievances of the People or the King's Supply should be first considered and Matters were in some hopeful Posture Secretary Vane either accidentally or on purpose overthrew all at once by declaring That the King required Twelve Subsidies whereas at that time he only desired Six which so enraged the House and made things so ill that by the advice of the Juncto the Parliament was Dissolved having only Sate Twenty Two Days Arch-Bishop Laud by his earnest Proceedings against the Puritans and by his strict enjoyning of Ceremonies especially reviving Old Ceremonies which had not been lately observed procured to himself much Hatred from the People That upon May 9. 1640. a Paper was fixed on the Gate of the Royal-Exchange inciting the Prentices to go and Sack his House at Lambeth the Monday after but the Arch-Bishop had notice of their Design and provided accordingly that at the time when they came endeavouring to enter his House they were Repulsed The King grew daily more offended against the Scots and calls a Select Juncto to consult about them where the Earl of Strafford delivered his Mind in such terms as were afterwards made use of to his Destruction War against them was resolved on and Money was to be procured one way or other The City was Invited to Lend but refused The Gentry contributed indifferent freely So that with their Assistance the Army was compleated The King himself being Generalissimo the Earl of Northumberland and the Earl of Strafford Lieutenant-Generals And Marching the Army into the North between New-Castle and Berwick there was some Action between the Two Armies in which the Scots had the Better A Treaty is then set on Foot and to that end the King receives a Petition from the Scots complaining of their Grievances To which He Answers by his Secretary of Scotland That he expects their particular Demands which he receives in Three days all tending to Call a Parliament in England without which there could be no Redress for them They had likewise before their March into England Published a Declaration called The Intentions of the Army viz. Not to lay down Arms till the Reformed Religion were settled in both Nations upon sure grounds and the Causers and Abettors of their present Troubles that is Arch-Bishop Laud and the Earl of Strafford were brought to Publick Justice in Parliament At the same time Twelve English Peers drew up a Petition which they delivered to the King for the Sitting of the Parliament To which the King condescends And now the time approaching for the Sitting of the Parliament who accordingly Met Novemb. 3. 1640. Mr. W. Lenthal was Chosen Speaker of the House of Commons And the King in a Speech tells them That the Scottish Troubles were the cause of their Meeting and therefore requires them to consider of the most expedient Means for casting them out and desired a Supply from them for the maintaining of his Army The Commons began with the Voting down all Monopolies and all such Members as had any Benefit by them were Vottd out of the House They then Voted down Ship-Money with the Opinion of the Judges thereupon to be Illegal and a Charge of High-Treason was ordered to be Drawn up against Eight of them and they resolved to begin with the Lord-Keeper Finch December 11th Alderman Pennington and some hundreds of Citizens presented a Petition Subscribed by Fifteen thousand Hands against Church-Discipline and Ceremonies and a while after
Express a greater sence of Ireland than He had done That meerly to satisfie the City He had removed a Worthy Person from the Charge of the Tower And that the Tumults had caused Him to Fortifie White-Hall for the Security of His own Person That His going to the House of Commons was to Apprehend those Five Members for Treason to which the Priviledges of Parliament could not extend and that He would proceed against them no otherwise than Legally And now such numbers of ordinary People daily gathered about Westminster and White-Hall that the King doubting of their Intentions thought fit to withdraw to Hampton-Court taking with Him the Queen Prince and Duke of York where He and his Retinue and Guard quickly encreased by accession of divers of the Gentry But the next day the Five Members were Triumphantly Guarded to Westminster by a great number of Citizens and Sea-men with Hundreds of Boats and Barges with Guns in them shouting and hallowing as they passed by White-Hall and making large Protestations at Westminster of their constant Adherence and Fidelity to the Parliament About this time the Parliament had notice that the Lord Digby and Col. Lunsford were raising Troops of Horse at Kingston where the County Magazine was lodged Whereupon they order That the County Sheriffs Justices of Peace and the Trained-Bands shall take care to secure the Countries and their Magazines Lunsford was Seized and sent to the Tower but Digby escaped beyond Sea The King removed to Royston at which time Sir E. Herbert Attorny-General is questioned at the Lords-Bar to Answer concerning the Articles against the Five Members where it had gone hard with him if the King at his earnest Supplication had not taken him off by a Letter to the Lord-Keeper Littleton wherein the King clears the Attorny-General and takes the whole Business upon Himself yet concludes That finding Cause wholly to desist from Proceeding against the Persons Accused He had Commanded his Attorny-General to proceed no farther therein nor to produce nor discover any Proof concerning the same Jan. 20. The King sends a Message to the Parliament proposing the Security of his own just Rights and Royal Authority and That since particular Grievances and Distractions were too many and would be too great to be Presented by themselves that They would Comprize and Digest them into one entire Body and send them to Him And it should then appear how ready He would be to equal or exceed the greatest Examples of the most Indulgent Princes in their Acts of Grace and Favour to the People After this the Commons move the Lords to joyn with them in Petitioning for the Militia and the Command of the Tower but They not complying the House of Commons singly of themselves importune the King to put those things into the Hands of the Parliament as the only available Means for the removal of their Fears and Jealousies But the King not willing to part with the Principal Jewels of his Crown signified to them That He thought the Militia to be lawfully subject to no Commâ—nd but his Own and therefore would not let it go out of his Hands That he had preferred to the Lieutenancy of the Tower a Person of known Fortune and unquestionable Reputation and that he would Prefer none but such to the Command of his Forts and Castles Yet would not intrust the Power of Conferring those Places and Dignities from Himself it being derived to Him from his Ancestors by the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom Yet the Commons would not desist but again Petitioned and were again refused Soon after divers Petitions were delivered to the Parliament against the Votes of Popish Lords and Bishops in the House of Peers as One from Suffolk with 1500 Hands Another from London with 2000 Hands and a Third from the City-Dames To all which were Answered That the Commons had already endeavoured Relief from the Lords in their Requests and should so continue till Redress were obtained And shortly after the Lords Passed the Bill For disabling all Persons in Holy-Orders to have any place or Vote in Parliament or to exercise any Temporal Jurisdiction At the same time they Petition the King again for the Militia and for clearing Kimbolton and the Five Members By his Answer to Both they understood his Resolution Not to trust the Militia out of Himself nor to clear the Members but only by a general Pardon which was unsatisfactory The King now at Hampton-Court thought fit to send for all his Domestick Servants of either Houses of Parliament and particularly the Earls of Essex and Holland but they refused to come In the mean time Mr. Pym at a Conference complaining of the general flocking of Papists into Ireland affirmed That since the Lieutenant had ordered a stop upon the Ports against all Irish Papists many of the chief Commanders now in the head of the Rebels had been licensed to pass thither by his Majesty's immediate Warrant The King was highly offended at this Speech which He signified to the House who in their Answer to his Message justifie Mr. Pym's words to be the Sense of the House and that they had yet in safe Custody the Lord Delvin Sir G. Hamilton Col. Butler Brother to the Lord Miniard now in Rebellion and one of the Lord Nettervil's Sons To which the King replies That he thought Mr. Pym's Speech was not so well grounded as it ought to have been and that the aforementioned Persons had their Passages granted before he knew of the Parliaments Order of Restraint and therefore expected their Declaration for his Vindication from that odious Calumny of Conniving or underhand Favouring that Horrid Rebellion But the King's Desire proved fruitless for they next moved to have Sir J. Byron turned out from being Lieutenant of the Tower and at their nomination Sir J. Coniers Succeeded They then proceeded to Name fit Persons for Trust of the Militia of the several Counties And by Act of Parliament disabled all Clergy-Men from exercising Temporal Jurisdiction The Commons then drew up a Petition for Vindicating their Five Members wherein they desire the King to send them the Informers against the said Members or otherwise to desert their Prosecution would not suffice because the whole Parliament was concerned in the Charge And then they proceeded to settle the Militia for the defence of the Parliament Tower and City of London under the Command of Maj. General Skipton who had formerly been an experienced Soldier in the Low Countries The King had deferred His Answer to their Petition for settling the Militia of the Counties according to their nomination till His Return from Dover where He took leave of his Wife and Daughter and so returned to Greenwich from whence He sent to Hampton-Court for his Two Eldest Sons to come to him though contrary to the Mind of the Parliament who would have disswaded Him from it The King being now at Greenwich sends this Answer to the Petition about the Militia That he is